On December 7th, Lamoille North Youth Coalition (LNYC) members, Vermont Kids Against Tobacco (VKAT) members from Peoples Academy Middle Level and Allied Health students participated in an empowering workshop led by middle and high school students and adult advisors from Dover Youth2Youth from Dover, NH. Students learned and practiced presentation skills, skits, media skills, and strategies of how they can implement a substance prevention campaign in their community.
Dover Youth to Youth is an after-school drug prevention and youth empowerment program for 6th-12th graders in Dover, NH. It consists of 70 students with multiple teams. In addition to implementing a variety of prevention activities in their community, they also travel throughout the country and deliver workshops for other youth prevention groups.
The first part of the workshop, led entirely by Dover Y2Y students, was centered around developing presentation skills. The Dover students demonstrated the different skills such as volume and speed control and animation of voice and body and had youth in attendance come up and practice these skills in front of everyone.
Students practice stretching words as a presenting technique
“I really liked how interactive they were. They would show an example and then they would ask volunteers to come up and do it. It was scary at first, but once some people started doing it you saw it was ok.” – Alice, 8th grader
“I liked how supportive they were.” – JJ, 8th grader
The students then split up into groups and implemented these techniques to turn a “boring” material like a lawn mower manual into something engaging.
Students using engaging presentation techniques to make presenting a boring material more interesting
“The acting part was really fun.” – Makaela, 7th grader
The second part of the workshop shared how students and groups can develop media messages. This included setting goals and objectives, developing a theme or setting, determining target audience and strategy among other elements.
Dover Y2Y shared how they developed their Lab Rat Campaign – a campaign that focuses on how the Big Vape Industry attracts and addicts teens with fruity and candy flavored vapes with high levels of nicotine. The group shared the elements of their campaign which started off with a large kickoff event and was followed up with a series of posters, radio and video PSAs throughout their school and community. They shared how the other youth prevention groups could develop their own similar campaign in their community.
A poster Dover Y2Y made for their Lab Rat Campaign and their kickoff rally
“I like how it’s based and centered toward kids in middle and high school because things like that need to be brought to their attention and I feel like that’s important.” -Brooke, 11th grader
The third and final part of the training had students collaborating in groups to work on PSAs and theatrical skits based on different substance prevention topics, strategies, and target audiences.
“I liked the presentation skills and skits.” – Alice, 8th grader
“I’m excited for [recording] the PSAs.” – Aiden, 8th grader
“Everyone was so kind and straight to the point and wanted to get to know people more.” – Daisha, 8th grader
We want to thank Dover Youth 2 Youth for traveling to our region, sharing their knowledge and skills, and connecting and collaborating with Lamoille Valley students.
Want to get involved?
- If you are a Lamoille Union Middle or High School student and are interested in joining the Lamoille North Youth Coalition as a middle school member or high school assistant – email brian@healthylamoillevalley.org
- If you are a Peoples Academy Middle or High School student – see Margo Warden to learn more about joining their VKAT or OVX group
- If you attend any other schools and are interested in starting a leadership/prevention group, please reach out to your counselor or an administrator. For additional support or ideas email brian@healthylamoillevalley.org