MYAA – Page 2

February’s #SubstanceFreeSaturday

February 21st is #SubstanceFreeSaturday! This Saturday would be a great time to invite some friends over, or hang out with your family and have a movie marathon! You can also make some yummy snacks to go along with your movies. Need some ideas?

Harry Potter: Here are a ton of fun recipes to try, from Butterbeer to Cauldron Cakes!
Lord of the Rings: Lembas Bread is the way to go.
Marvel Cinematic Universe: Captain America’s Breakfast S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fun vegetarian option!
Star Wars: Who doesn’t love a Watermelon Death Star?
Twilight: Edward’s Cornflake Chicken: yum or done?

Of course you could also just serve up some popcorn and soda, but where’s the fun in that! Snap a #SubstanceFreeSelfie, and tag us on Facebook or Twitter so we can see all the fun you’re having!

MYAA Youth Ambassador Profiles: Krysta, Kara, and Krista

When working to support the health and well-being of young people, working with young people is essential to that process. That is why the Youth Ambassador Program is such an important piece of MYAA.

The MYAA Youth Ambassadors are a talented group of students from across Missouri who serve as the statewide youth voice for substance abuse prevention. They go through training with some of the top professionals in the field, design their own presentations to give in their communities, meet with legislators, and help plan the Speak Hard Youth Conference.

Youth ambassadors play an integral role in the overall development and operation of our statewide underage drinking prevention initiative. MYAA’s adult members work together with the Youth Ambassadors in planning and implementing prevention practices and programs, as well as yearly events including the annual statewide youth conference, Speak Hard and annual Prevention Day at the Capitol.

Members of MYAA’s Youth Ambassador Program are hardworking and well versed individuals who have demonstrated their commitment by reaching out to peers, friends, and younger students. Youth Ambassadors serve as role models for other students and agree to abstain from using drugs and alcohol.

If you know of a young person who would be great for the Youth Ambassador Program, or you are a young person who wants to get involved, the applications will open on March 25, 2015 and close on May 4, 2015. Check out the Youth Ambassador website (http://www.actmissouri.org/youth-ambassadors/) for more information and for access to the application when it becomes available.

Krysta Ott
Smith-Cotton Junior High, Sedalia

Reason why I am a youth ambassador: To share my opinion, and let others know it’s okay to make the right decision.
Favorite subject in school: English, I love reading and gaining new knowledge. Then, I love to write about everything I read about!
Favorite thing to do outside of school: Play softball and perform.
What we hope to do after high school: As of right now, go to college for Theater Education.

Kara Bernskoetter
Calvary Lutheran High School, Jefferson City

Reason why I am a youth ambassador: help the youth make positive choices and reach out to others.
Favorite Subject in school: Math because I like solving problems and it has great life applications.
Favorite thing to do outside of high school: play volleyball, shop, and be with my friends.
What I want to do after high school: attend Lincoln University.

Krista Stanford
Calvary Lutheran High School, Jefferson City

Reason why I am a youth ambassador: help other students be drug and alcohol free; connect with other students who want to do the same.
Favorite Subject in School: history, because i love learning new things and it’s intriguing.
Favorite thing to do outside of school: i enjoy being with my friends.
What I want to do after high school: go to Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska and pursue a degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Special Education.

Kara Bernskoetter, Krysta Ott, Becky Bade, Krista Stanford, and Tali Azar at a Youth Ambassador training at ACT Missouri.

Each quarter we will be highlighting some of our Missouri Youth Adult Alliance Youth Ambassadors. To learn more about the Youth Ambassador Program or MYAA, visit our website.

#SubstanceFreeSaturday

Each month the Missouri Youth Adult Alliance (MYAA) designates one Saturday a month as #SubstanceFreeSaturday. This is a great opportunity for coalitions to plan events with their members, and youth to invite their friends to hang out and do an activity. It’s a way to highlight all the fun things youth can do that don’t involve substance abuse.

January 17th is the first #SubstanceFreeSaturday of 2015! It’s a great day to go to the movies with friends, host a video game marathon at your house, or enjoy the “warmer” weather outside! We love to see what you are doing to celebrate, so be sure to post your pictures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with #SubstanceFreeSaturday!

If you want to plan your activities ahead of time, be sure to check out the 2015 Red Ribbon Week calendar!

SADD: Red Ribbon Week Tip of the Day

Tip #7

Does your school have a Student’s Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Chapter? Have they resubmitted their paperwork this year? Do you want to start a new SADD Chapter? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

There are all kinds of benefits to joining SADD, including participating in the annual “It Only Takes One” Campaign, attending Speak Hard (the annual Youth Prevention Conference), and helping your community stay substance-free. Many of they MYAA Youth Ambassadors are also active in their local SADD Chapter.

If you want to get more involved in SADD, be sure to check out the SADD page on our website!

Red Ribbon Week Tip of the Day #2

Tip #2

Today’s tip of the day is how to get involved with the Missouri Youth/Adult Alliance (MYAA). MYAA is a statewide coalition made up of adults and youth that assists local community efforts in addressing underage drinking. Its mission is to encourage advocates to reduce youth access to alcohol by implementing environmental and social policy changes in their communities. By changing policy we will improve the environment that our children are living in each day; the environment that encourages them to drink alcohol.

So how can you get involved? Complete this membership form and make plans to join us at the next coalition meeting!

2014-2015 MYAA Youth Ambassadors Selected

The 2014-2015 Missouri Youth Adult Alliance (MYAA) Youth Ambassadors have been selected. Youth Ambassadors play an integral role in the overall development and operation of our statewide underage drinking prevention initiative. MYAA’s adult members work together with the Youth Ambassadors in planning and implementing prevention practices and programs, as well as yearly events including the annual statewide youth conference, Speak Hard and annual Prevention Day at the Capitol.

The 2014-2015 Youth Ambassadors are: Kara Bernskoetter of Jefferson City, Raine Ryerson of Versailles, Madeline Patridge of Eldon, Tali Azar of Chesterfield, Krysta Ott of Sedalia, and Krista Stanford of Jefferson City.

“By becoming a Youth Ambassador, youth gain the confidence to be advocates in the field of substance abuse prevention. This includes grassroots advocacy through community mobilization and transformation, as well as advocating at the State Capitol with legislators,” said Chelsea Billeck, MYAA Project Director. “Our hope is that the students will leave the program feeling empowered to create change in their community – no matter how big or small!”

MYAA is the statewide coalition made up of teens and adults that help local communities address problems with underage alcohol use; as it is the most abused substance by Missouri teens. Since 1997 the coalition has been instrumental in passing local and state level legislation including the passage of beer keg registration, social host/open house parties, and the ban of alcohol without liquid (AWOL) devices. MYAA is a program of ACT Missouri, the statewide training and resource center for substance abuse prevention.

Contact Information:
Chelsea Billeck
MYAA Project Director
ACT Missouri
428 E. Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65101
(573) 635-6669
cbilleck@actmissouri.org

Initial “It Only Takes One” Campaign a Success

The initial IT ONLY TAKES ONE campaign has concluded, with three groups winning top honors. To take part in this campaign, schools had to register in the fall. Then, students from 34 participating schools were presented a free t-shirt after submitting a completed parent-teen driving contract to their advisors. The t-shirts proved to be an effective tool to get students talking about the dangers of distracted driving, but many of the schools did not stop there. Students and advisors carried this message out into the community – with posters, thumb bands, belt checks, and other materials that sparked conversation between teens and adults about safe driving practices. Almost 1700 students were impacted by the campaign across Missouri.

For their participation, Campbell C2000 received 1^st place with a prize of $1,000, Platte County High School received 2^nd place with a prize of $750, and New Madrid County Family Resource Center received 3^rd place with a prize of $500. Campbell C2000 completed pre/post safety belt surveys, presented a distracted driving program to their high school and distributed It Only Takes One parent contracts and shirts to students in their community. The coalition also wrote for funding for two large billboard signs for the city and school ballparks promoting their IT ONLY TAKES ONE message. They have big plans for their award including a creating a float for the upcoming Campbell PeachFair Parade and hosting an information booth at the Peach Fair and at the Back To School Open House Event in Campbell. MacKenzie Metheny, a student of the coalition, stated “This campaign has been extremely empowering for us because we have already seen that we are actually making a difference in our friends’ lives and their families’ lives!”

2015 IT ONLY TAKES ONE Campaign information and applications will be available through ACT Missouri in Fall 2014. The IT ONLY TAKES ONE campaign has been made possible by grants received from the Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.

ACT Missouri is the statewide training and resource center for substance abuse prevention. Through free trainings, brochures, and education, ACT Missouri works with all areas of the state to combat drug and alcohol abuse, especially among Missouri youth. ACT Missouri also serves at the state representative for national organizations such as SADD and The Partnership at Drugfree.org.

Contact Information:
Chelsea Billeck
MYAA Project Director
ACT Missouri
428 E. Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65101
(573) 635-6669
cbilleck@actmissouri.org

Taking ACTion to Build a Healthy Missouri