Anderson County, TN, July 2023 – ASAP of Anderson is calling all students at Anderson County, Clinton, and Oak Ridge High Schools to apply for the Youth Ambassador Coalition (YAC) for the upcoming school year.
Members share a passion for making their school and community safer by preventing and reducing substance misuse such as drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco or marijuana, and vaping.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, YAC members carry out three primary activities: They observe how substance misuse harms their peers and community and develop solutions to strategically reduce those harms; they educate their lawmakers and advocate for the changes they would like to see; and they igniting change by altering environments to better support prevention.
Each year, Youth Ambassador Coalition members travel to Nashville to educate Tennessee’s state legislators on pressing substance misuse issues. Select members also travel to the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) forum in Washington D.C. where they attend training sessions and engage with and educate federal legislators on other substance misuse issues. Throughout the year, members utilize social media and posters to influence peer behavior and design and implement events or campaigns such as Safe and Sober Prom and National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week.
“I joined YAC because it stood out as a unique extracurricular activity, said Imelia Markus-Brock, an upcoming senior at Oak Ridge High School. “I had no idea that it would be so fun, I would meet so many kind and passionate people, and that it would grow my public speaking and communication skills as much as it did. Being a part of YAC has opened my eyes to the impact people my age can have in making change through legislation as well. If you want to positively impact your peers and community in an important way, this is the coalition to be a part of.”
This leadership opportunity provides volunteer hours and opportunities to connect with like-minded youth while gaining experience that makes students stand out on their college and employment applications. An ideal YAC candidate will be empathetic to the impact of substance misuse among friends, family, and community members, and demonstrate a strong desire to be part of the change.
High school students interested in joining the coalition must apply online by August 31st on ASAP’s recruitment page. For more information about this opportunity, contact Jarod Ormsby by emailing Jarod@ASAPofAnderson.org. To keep up with other ASAP events and opportunities follow @ASAPofAnderson on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
