Hundreds of students learn to teach about making safe choices

Hundreds of students learn to teach about making safe choicesSenator Akshar and Lourdes Youth Services' Program Specialist Jill Alford-Hammitt joined the YES LEADers from Owego Free Academy at YES Ignites, a full day of training where they learned valuable leadership and life skills. Provided photo.
Hundreds of students learn to teach about making safe choices

The Keynote Speaker, Josh Drean, spoke to hundreds of middle and high school students about how they can be their authentic selves and the importance of being positive, drug-free role models in their community.

More than 525 middle and high school students from 14 school districts throughout Broome, Tioga, Chenango and Delaware counties came together on Thursday for YES Ignites, a conference composed of workshops focused on role modeling, leadership and public speaking techniques. Students will use these skills as they participate in the drug-free peer leadership program, YES LEADS.

YES Safe Choices is a partnership between Senator Fred Akshar and Lourdes Hospital. YES works to help kids in our area learn skills they need to resist using alcohol and drugs. YES also provides parents with useful tips and fun activities they can use as starting points in talking with their kids about important topics such as substance abuse, bullying, cyber safety, and stress.

Senator Akshar, attending his second YES Ignites conference, stated, “I’m so proud to help kick-off YES LEADS again this year. Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to see how dedicated these kids are and the positive effect they have on our community. Today’s training will help instill in LEADers the valuable skills they’ll use to continue to be positive role models while sharing the importance of living a drug-free life.”

Hundreds of students learn to teach about making safe choices

Tioga Central High School YES LEADers learned about the importance of being positive role models and staying drug and alcohol free at YES Ignites. Provided photo.

Also attending the conference, Lourdes Youth Services Program Specialist Jill Alford-Hammitt said, “It’s great to see so many kids who are committed to being positive role models in their schools and community. This is a wonderful event to help them start the year off with the knowledge and motivation to achieve their goals.”

YES LEADers will organize dozens of group presentations for elementary school students as well as sponsor poster contests, family movie nights and other school and community events.

By the end of the school year, YES LEADers will show more than 6,000 elementary school students across four counties practical ways they can resist using alcohol and drugs as well as become positive leaders in their community.

Hundreds of students learn to teach about making safe choices

Senator Akshar and Lourdes Youth Services’ Program Specialist Jill Alford-Hammitt joined the YES LEADers from Owego Free Academy at YES Ignites, a full day of training where they learned valuable leadership and life skills. Provided photo.

This year’s keynote speaker, Josh Drean, gave an engaging presentation titled “REPresent” which focused on the positive ways in which students can learn to defeat bullying in schools. Drean explained his method of “Mascoting” and standing as an ideal for other students.

A representative from Youth to Youth International, Ty Sells, was also on hand presenting a workshop titled “Lead Now”, focusing on becoming a positive and receptive leader.

Attending Thursday’s training were students from Afton, Bainbridge-Guilford, Chenango Valley, Hancock, Maine-Endwell, Norwich, Owego-Apalachin, Seton Catholic, Susquehanna Valley, Tioga Central, Union-Endicott, Vestal, Waverly and Windsor school districts.

For more information on YES Safe Choices and YES LEADS, visit www.YesSafeChoices.org.

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