| In Your Words | Youth Leadership: Behind the Scenes of Building a Group By Chelsea Schoen, Deering High School SBHC Student Advisory Group I am one of three student members who, along with a dedicated advisor, have been involved with Deering High School's School Based-Health Center Student Advisory Group from its beginning two years ago. I doubt any of us knew what we were getting into when this group first started, or had any idea of the things we would accomplish, or how close we would become along the way. In two years we have: organized an STD awareness day, hosted a sexual health forum, hosted and an SBHC informational forum, redecorated the health center, presented to coaching groups, coordinated a drunk driving awareness day, organized a presentation of the eating disorders awareness play The Thin Line, testified at the state house, worked to eliminate barriers that prevent students from accessing counseling, and much more. The hours we have put into this group to pull off what we do are simply too many to count. As a group, starting out small and then growing, we have spent many hours together planning, goal-setting, working, brainstorming, procrastinating, goofing off, laughing, supporting, day-dreaming, and eating, all of which made us strong as a team. In the beginning we were simply four individuals who were interested in the health of the school, and we have blended together in such a way that makes it seem impossible that things were ever any different, or that there was ever a time when we weren't so close. We fumbled our way through the rocks and rapids at the beginning, and we cleared a path for others to follow and eventually lead the way. We have established a strong connection between our group and the school through our actions, our outstanding loyalty, our sense of humor that reminds us all we're still human, our perseverance when things don't go as planned and our willingness to do the work that needs to be done to improve our school and to improve even just one student's life. We stand out because of our ability to set high goals, our willingness to chase after our dreams, and our patience that allows us to do the things necessary to achieve those goals. We're leaders in our school because we refuse to lower our expectations and because we refuse to give up, even if that means a couple hundred all-staff emails. Our lessons have been that if you are inspired to do something, don't let anything stop you. If you are creative, willing to ask for help and if you belive in yourself and what you are doing, you can overcome any obstacles that may arise. |
| Build Your Skills | Why Involve Youth (MYAN)
Still on the fence about whether youth involvement is a good idea for your organization/project? Check out these reasons that youth involvement benefits everyone. Fire It Up--Toolkit for Youth Action (Youth Action Network)
This toolkit gives a fantastic overview of youth action, from tools for bringing a group together, to the skills you need to advocate for change. An Untapped Resource: Exploring Youth Representation on Your Board or Committee
Created by Alaskan youth for any board that is interested in expanding the representation of their board, "growing their own" board members for tomorrow, and/or empowering the youth in their community. It lists some basic criteria for creating an effective board that includes youth representation. World Youth Report 2007 (United Nations)
The World Youth Report 2007 examines the challenges and opportunities existing for the roughly 1.2 billion young people between the ages of 15 and 24 in the world. The report explores major issues of concern to youth development, including employment, education, health, poverty and violence. At the same time, it highlights youth as a positive force for development and provides recommendations for supporting their essential contributions. For tips and tools on youth leadership, youth-adult partnership and much more, visit MYAN's resource pages. |
| And the Award Goes To... | Get inspired by the 2007 winners of the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids Youth Advocates of the Year Awards! The Youth Advocates of the Year Awards honor top youth advocates from around the country-youth who have fought hard to promote tobacco prevention legislation in their home states, to reduce tobacco marketing to kids in their communities and to stop their peers from using tobacco.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free kids provides a $5,000 scholarship for the national youth winner, $2,500 scholarships for each regional winner, and $2,000 for the international grant winner.
Maine's Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 13th Annual National Awards Program |
Messages From MYAN | MYAN Wins Contract - MYAN is very proud to announce that we were again awarded a multi-year contract to continue to support youth leadership and involvement in Maine. The initiative is funded by three programs of the Maine Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (the Partnership For A Tobacco-Free Maine, the Teen & Young Adult Health Program, and the Physical Activity & Nutrition Program) and the Office of Substance Abuse.
MYAN is Hiring Save the Date(s) - The 25th Annual Peer Leadership Conference will be November 14th & 15th, 2008 at Atlantic Oakes By the Sea in Bar Harbor, ME.
- Are you interested in presenting a workshop at the Conference? We are recruiting both youth and adult presenters! Download our Workshop Proposal Form for more information.
- Want to help make this year's Conference inspiring and fun? Contact Chris Gorman at cgorman@propeople.org or 553-5918 to learn more about being part of this Conference's Youth Planning Team.
- The 5th Maine Youth Anti-Tobacco Summit will take place April 30th & May 1st, 2009 at the Augusta Civic Center.
- MYAN is gathering input to help us schedule four Partnering for Change trainings (day-long youth-adult partnership workshops) across the state next year. If you are interested in MYAN coming to your area, please contact Chris Gorman at cgorman@propeople.org or 553-5918.
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Check This Out
| Celebrating Youth Leadership Across Maine These are just a few examples of the ways youth across the state are using their time, energy and powerful voices to create stronger communities for all of us. - For the first time in Maine history, the State Board of Education includes youth voice. Justin Chennette of Thornton Academy and Honor Wilkinson of Calais High School were appointed to the State Board of Education in April and will be participating in the development of education policy in our state. Reports of other local and state boards and councils with youth representation are on the rise as well!
- In recognition of his work to educate and advocate on anti-tobacco issues, Mountain Valley High School student and Ignite Oxford County chapter president Thomas (TJ) Williams was a finalist for the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids Youth Advocate of the Year awards. Congrats, TJ!
- The Lewiston Youth Advisory Council U Booze U Lose initiative completed and premiered a student-produced awareness video titled "Smashed," and the video was approved for use as part of Maine's driver education curriculum. The video is now available for purchase on www.smashedvideo.com.
- A youth and adult team from Maine attended the National Spotlight on Youth Development training in Baltimore and will be exploring ways to increase and promote positive youth development and leadership in Maine in the coming years.
- Project Aware premiered their second movie "Untold Stories" which was made to raise awareness about the issue of bullying and harassment among teens. The movie was scriped performed and directed by The Project Aware Players. See the promo for the film at www.projectaware.net/untoldpromo.php.
- In the first ever Portland Youth Summit, Youthink gathered Portland youth together to discuss local issues and brainstorm ways to elevate youth voice and increase youth leadership in the city.
- Youth from several Healthy Maine Partnership Youth Advocacy Programs (HMP YAPs) participated in advocacy that resulted in the successful passage of LD 2012 making Maine the first state in the nation to ban smoking in cars with kids. Many other youth from across the state are also working through local HMP YAPs to create environmental and policy changes in their communites around other issues of tobacco use prevention & cessation, substance abuse prevention and physical activity & nutrition promotion.
- The Maine Nutrition Network launched a Fruit & Veggies: More Matters Challenge in partnership with several youth teams from different parts of the state. Groups explored creative ways to encourage peers to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption as part of a healthy diet.
- 11 groups from 6 different schools came together on May 16th in Augusta for the Project Citizen State Showcase at which students reported on their investigations of a wide range of community issues and posed policy change solutions. The winning oral presentation was by students from Holbrook Middle School who have developed a project to improve school safety by advocating for the use of new speed limit signage. The distinction of best portfolio went to Lyman Moore Middle School students who have developed an action plan to advocate for the ban of the use of styrofoam in the city of Portland.
- Youth & adults on the Governor's Children's Cabinet's GLBTQ Youth Commission researched & created a set of recommendations for how Maine can foster safe and inclusive environments free from discriminatory action, harassment and violence.
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| Show Me the Money | Do Something--Plum Grants
http://www.dosomething.org/plum_youth_grant_application Are you a social entrepreneur, age 25 or under, who wants to see BIG change in the world? Did you recently create a sustainable project, program or organization? Do you need $500 to further the growth and success of your program? If you answered, "YES!" to all those questions, you are eligible to apply for a Plum Youth Grant.
They choose one winner every week, so procrastination is no excuse not to get those ideas out there! |
| Mark Your Calendar | Want to get the word out about events in your community? Please email Molly O'Connell at moconnell@propeople.org to let us know about what's going on near you! Events will be published on the MYAN website & in the MYAN News to Use when timing allows. - 12th Annual Maine Nutrition Network Annual Meeting: The Changing Face of Poverty in Maine
June 19, 2008 at Maple Hill Farm, Hallowell, ME
FMI visit http://www.maine-nutrition.org/
- 2nd Annual Bayside World Market & Fair
Saturday, June 21, Portland High School
For more information, email baysidefair@gmail.com or call 772-7595.
Experience a wide variety of vendors, craftspeople, ethnic foods, multicultural music and dance, children's activities, educational and social service exhibit tables, and the sharing of moving, personal stories.
- Youth 2 Youth International's Summer Conferences
June 15th-18th, 2008 in Granville Ohio
July 9-12, 2008 Claremont, CA
July 17-20, 2008 Smithfield, Rhode Island
- Annual Substance Abuse Prevention Providers Conference
November 13th, 2009 at Spectacular Events Center in Bangor
- Substance Abuse Prevention Convention
November 14th, 2009 at Spectacular Events Center in Bangor
- 25th Annual MYAN Peer Leadership Conference
November 14th & 15th, 2008 at Atlantic Oakes By the Sea, Bar Harbor, ME
Registration information will be available in September 2008.
Visit
http://myan.org/myan3/projects/conference/index.php
for general Conference info.
- 5th Annual Maine Youth Anti-Tobacco Summit
April 30th & May 1st, 2009 at the Augusta Civic Center
Visit http://myan.org/myan3/projects/summit/index.php
for general Sumit information.
Find Many More Events & Trainings Happening Around the Network on MYAN's events calendar. |
| Call for YOUR Stories | Inspire others throughout the state by sharing your story of making positive change in Maine. - What did you do & why?
- What did you gain personally from the experience?
- What change was created by your actions?
Youth whose stories are published in News to Use or on MYAN.org will receive a $10 stipend! We accept submissions on a rolling basis, and will use articles on our website and in News to Use when the timing allows. |
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MYAN is an initiative of the People's Regional Opportunity Program, funded by a collaborative effort of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Office of Substance Abuse) and the Department of Education, supported primarily by the fund for Healthy Maine and federal grants from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Department of Education. www.myan.org The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, or national origin, in admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities, or its hiring or employment practices. This notice is provided as required by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and in accordance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Maine Human Rights Act and Executive Order Regarding State of Maine Contracts for Services. Questions, concerns, complaints or requests for additional information regarding the ADA may be forwarded to DHHS' ADA Compliance/EEO Coordinators, 11 State House Station - 221 State Street, Augusta, Maine 04333, 207-287-4289 (V), 207-287-3488 (V), 1-800-606-0215 (TTY). Individuals who need auxiliary aids for effective communication in program and services of DHHS are invited to make their needs and preferences known to the ADA Compliance/EEO Coordinators. This notice is available in alternate formats, upon request. |
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