Youth Ambassadors

6th Annual Prevention Day at the Capitol

Over 65 preventionists gathered at the Missouri State Capitol for the 6^th Annual Prevention Day last week. Each year the Missouri Substance Use Prevention Network and ACT Missouri provide an opportunity for preventionists across Missouri to network with peers in prevention, share ideas, and showcase community successes at the Capitol.

This year Representative Holly Rehder shared her prevention story, as well as tips on how to talk to legislators. Tyler, a youth from the 417Squad in Springfield, MO, also shared why it is important for youth to be involved in advocacy. Preventionists then visited with their representatives and senators throughout the morning, sharing facts about substance use and misuse, as well as the accomplishments in their communities. Many attendees were also able to view the legislative process by attending committee hearings that covered prevention topics!

This year members also shared Missouri Prevention Stories. Over past years, the Missouri Prevention Network has done a wonderful job of showing the data that prevention in Missouri works. This year, ACT Missouri took the opportunity to tell prevention stories from around the state. These stories originate from the people that are working with our youth daily. This is just a small sampling of the prevention work that is happening in Missouri, but they are stories that need to be told!

The Youth Ambassadors hosted a breakfast in the morning, and shared information about how they are promoting prevention and educating peers in their communities. Later they met with Representative Holly Rehder, who spoke to them about advocacy, and congratulated them on the important work they are doing in their communities. Representative Mike Kelley took all the youth who attended on a tour of the Capitol; showing them the House Chambers, the Whispering Gallery, and up to the dome!

Youth Ambassadors with Representative Rehder in the House Chamber.
Representative Kelley and the Youth Ambassadors.
2017 Youth Ambassadors
Representative Rehder speaks with the Youth Ambassadors.
Youth Ambassadors at the top of the Capitol Building.
Representative Kelley gives the Youth Ambassadors and coalition members a tour.
Preventionists gather in the morning to hear opening remarks.
Tyler and Nic from the 417Squad in Springfield, MO share why it is important for youth to get involved.

Meet the 2016 Youth Ambassadors!

Kelsie Byars	Sophomore Morgan County R-II High School
	Kelsie is involved with her school through various activities, including Student Council, DECA, and German Club. She volunteers for several organizations in her community. She wants to education her community about the hazards of drug and alcohol abuse. She is active in the Morgan County CLEAR coalition.
Samantha Gunn	Junior Calvary Lutheran High School
	Samantha is the current president of her high school's SADD Chapter. She is also active in many other school organizations, including Key Club, FFA, and Basketball. She volunteers in her community. She believes that by promoting prevention, she can make her community a better place.
Lizzie Oxley	Junior Calvary Lutheran
	Lizzie is active in several organizations, including Key Club, FTA, and Basketball. She volunteers for many groups in her community. She is passionate about preventing alcohol abuse in her community. She is active in her school's SADD chapter.
Gunner Smith	Junior Kennett High School
	Gunner is active in his school and community, participating in organizations such as Band, Pep Club, and Student Council. He volunteers in his community for various organizations. He is passionate about prevention, and advocates for the prohibited use of abused substances. He is active in Smokebusters/Making Our Mark at his high school.
Brock Winslow	Senior Linn High School
	Brock is active in his school and community, and participates in a variety of activities, including FFA, baseball, and Student Council. He volunteers for many organizations in his community. He is committed to staying substance-free, and encourages his classmates to do the same. He is an active member of Linn TREND/SADD.
Camren Worthley	Sophomore Morgan County R-I High School
	Camren is active in his school, participating in activities such as FCCLA, Student Council, and FCA. He also participates in various community service activities. He is passionate about educating others on the dangers of substance abuse, specifically tobacco. He is active in the Morgan County CLEAR Coalition.
Joe Viebrock	Sophomore Morgan County R-I High School
	Joe is very active in various organizations in his school, including FCCLA, FBLA, and Student Council. He volunteers in his community for several projects. He is passionate about educating his community on the dangers of abusing drugs. He is active in the Morgan County CLEAR Coalition.

2016 Youth Ambassadors Attend First Training

The Youth Ambassador Program is designed to empower the youth of today to be the substance abuse prevention leaders of tomorrow. Through interactive exercises, comprehensive trainings, and targeted focus on community needs, the Youth Ambassadors develop materials and support regional centers and school programs to prevent substance abuse.

Ambassadors represent the following schools:

Calvary Lutheran High School (Jefferson City)
Kennett High School
Linn High School
Morgan County R-I (Stover)
Morgan County R-II (Versailles)

The Youth Ambassadors meet once a month to discuss current problems in their areas and help achieve their mission to end substance abuse in their communities and Missouri. Regular trainings and activities are scheduled with the discussions to enhance participation and understanding of subject matter.

The Youth Ambassadors met for their first training on January 7, 2016. This dedicated group of six completed six exercises:

Cause & Effect: Ambassadors matched causes of substance abuse to related effects
Elevator Speeches: Ambassadors learned how to best spend their thirty seconds in an elevator to explain to someone what they do as an Ambassador
Personal Mission Statements: each Ambassador learned that reviewing goals regularly is important in accomplishing them
Bridge to Support: using everyday items, Ambassadors built a ‘bridge to support’ before learning how a combination of treatment techniques is most successful

Cause & Effect, Revisited: Ambassadors determined the best treatment option for varying types of substance abuse
Guess Who: Ambassadors reviewed real stories of substance abuse and pinpointed where prevention programs could have intervened

Prevention Day 2015

Kara Bernskoetter, MYAA Youth Ambassador and member of the MYAA Marketing Committee, provides us with a first-hand account of her experience at this year’s Prevention Day at the Capitol.

Prevention Day was held at the capitol on January 28^th. The day began with us, the MYAA Youth Ambassadors, providing breakfast pastries to the General Assembly and their staff along with the visitors. This was a great opportunity to spread the word about MYAA and what we are and do. There was a display set up of photo voice posters created by us Youth Ambassadors. Photo voice is a way to communicate the message of prevention through pictures and captions. I visited my state senator, Mike Kehoe, and put my advocacy training into action. Talking to your legislator is a great way to prove that the youth have a strong voice and that we truly do care about the decisions made in our communities.

MYAA Youth Ambassador Profiles: Tali, Raine, and Madeline

MYAA’s Youth Ambassadors are the main catalyst’s for the prevention in underage drinking MYAA continually strives to achieve. MYAA Ambassadors are hardworking, motivated students, who dedicate their time and their commitment to reaching out to their peers, their friends and others about the dangers of underage drinking and the benefits of abstaining. Youth Ambassadors are role models to younger students and enjoy the confidence of believing in the fun and the empowerment of healthy choices and how important it is to support yourself.

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 are open now, and close on May 4, 2015. Check out the Youth Ambassador website (https://www.actmissouri.org/youth-ambassadors/) for more information and to access the application when it becomes available.

Here are three of MYAA’s Youth Ambassadors and a little information about them.

Krista S., Kara, Raine, Krista O., and Tali

Tali Azar

Parkway Central High School, Chesterfield

Reason why I am a youth ambassador: To be able to make a difference and better my community.
Favorite subject in school: Ceramics because it relaxes me and allows me to be creative
Favorite thing to do outside of school: I like to hang out with friends and family and get involved with my community.
What we hope to do after high school: Go to college after high school and major in a career that involves helping others.

Raine Ryerson

Morgan County R-II High School, Versailles

Reason why I am a youth ambassador: I love to serve others and being an ambassador helps me to give back to my community while also allowing me to be a positive role model for young adults.
Favorite subject in school: Psychology. I love learning about how people’s minds function and how their thoughts can predict their actions.
Favorite thing to do outside of school: I love to run long distance. I train all Winter for track season in the Spring and I also run 5k races competitively.
What we hope to do after high school: I hope to either attend the United States Military Academy at West Point and major in Psychology, or attend the University of Missouri-St. Louis through an Army ROTC scholarship and major in Criminology.

Madeline Partridge

Eldon High School, Eldon

Reason why I am a youth ambassador: To get the word out to my community that underage drinking and drug use needs to stop. I believe that the best way to stop underage drinking and underage drug use is if the information comes from the peers of the teenagers who are making these choices.
Favorite subject in school: Any and all kinds of science. I find science so intriguing because every day we are finding new ways to save lives or a new species that we have never known before. Science is a way to figure out the ever-changing world around us and to better understand what we already know.
Favorite thing to do outside of school: I love to play basketball! I spend most of my weekends and every day after school practicing with my team to get better.
What we hope to do after high school: I am planning to go to college. Right now I am looking to get a degree in health sciences, but not 100% sure what I want to do yet.

MYAA Project Director Chelsea, Kara, Madeline, Raine, and Krista S.

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.

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 (https://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.

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

Taking ACTion to Build a Healthy Missouri

6th Annual Prevention Day at the Capitol

Meet the 2016 Youth Ambassadors!

2016 Youth Ambassadors Attend First Training

Prevention Day 2015

MYAA Youth Ambassador Profiles: Tali, Raine, and Madeline

MYAA Youth Ambassador Profiles: Krysta, Kara, and Krista

2014-2015 MYAA Youth Ambassadors Selected

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