We can’t believe it’s already time to celebrate the 2015-2016 GUIDE Youth Advisory Board (YAB) and their successes this year. If you didn’t already know, the YAB is a group of high school students from Gwinnett County who help plan, implement and evaluate substance abuse prevention projects and campaigns across the county. During their time on YAB, these youth learn and practice leadership and communication skills and learn how to work well with others.
Here’s a look back at the 2015-2016 YAB by the number:
Nine high schools, four sophomores, four juniors, seven seniors, three males and 12 females were represented on the YAB.- The YAB had their first ever summer session with 10 team building activities, two skits, one focus group, 17 memory jars created and two projects planned.
- Seven YAB senior members received college scholarships.
- The YAB completed over 600 volunteer hours and sixteen activities, events and campaigns.
- The YAB distributed over 3,000 prevention materials and facilitated a prevention obstacle course to over 500 people at their Red Fest event.
- YAB members received one proclamation for Red Ribbon Week by the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.
- Eight Parents Who Host yard signs were displayed around the county.
- Three YAB high schools participated in the Join the Crowd Positive Social Norms campaign.
- One hundred Safe and Sober Prom Hangers and 250 Safe and Sober Prom Posters were distributed to prom dress shops and YAB high schools.
- Twenty-five thousand people saw their People Helping People TV segment for Alcohol Awareness Month and Teen Perspective PSA.
- YAB members conducted the “Marijuana…it’s more harmful than you think” campaign at three high schools, collected 150 student signatures from students pledging not to smoke marijuana and skip school and distributed over 600 marijuana prevention materials.
- Twelve memories were made for each YAB member’s reflection jar.
- Eight new members were recruited for the 2016-2017 YAB, who will help create even more positive community change.
We appreciate the dedication from each YAB member throughout this year, and we know our community is a better place because of their hard work. We are sending lots of well wishes to each of our seniors and know they will be successful in their new journeys ahead. We give a sincere thank you to each of our YAB members for all of their accomplishments this year. We’re looking forward to what is ahead next year with our new and returning YAB members!