SAW Coalition staff continuously work with 6 area high schools to develop and/or maintain active SADD clubs. Staff conducts presentations during club times and other outreach activities to SADD clubs. SAW Coalition staff hold regional SADD club meetings with advisors and their leadership teams to help strengthen clubs, assist in program planning, coordinate guest speakers, and serve as a community resource.
YADAPP
This summer, the Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project (YADAPP) will be celebrating it's 27th year. YADAPP is a youth leadership conference for high school students all over Virginia held at Longwood University from July 18–22. It is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and its mission is to develop youth leadership in order to foster substance abuse and violence prevention efforts at the state, regional and local level. Students who attend YADAPP return to their schools with a STAN (Strategies To Act Now) Plan. This plan is meant to target underage substance and alcohol abuse in their schools and communities. Teams are made up of four students and one adult sponsor. The conference is high-energy with numerous motivational speakers who inspire students to stand up against substance abuse. Groups are supervised by youth leaders, junior staff members, interns, as well as adult leaders. They motivate the students from the first steps they take on the campus to the tearful goodbyes at the end of the week.
In July 2011, Coalition staff, SADD advisors, and 15 youth attended the Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project conference conducted by the Virginia Alcohol and Beverage Control Board. This week long event is designed to develop youth leaders and youth lead school anti-drug plans.
Click here to learn more about YADAPP and how you and your friends can attend.
RED RIBBON WEEK
During October 2010, the SAW Coalition in partnership with area high school SADD clubs purchased and distributed Red Ribbon Week anti-drug messaging materials to all area elementary and high school students. Twenty-five schools received materials and an estimated 11,790 youth were exposed to the anti-drug message.
PROJECT STICKER SHOCK
In partnership with the City of Staunton and the City of Waynesboro Police Departments and area high school SADD clubs, the Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth conducted a Sticker Shock campaign throughout the area in December 2010. Sticker Shock is a program of the Virginia Alcohol and Beverage Control Board and is conducted by youth but targets adults who purchase alcohol for minors. A sticker communicating the message that it is illegal to provide alcohol to minors is placed on cartons of alcoholic beverages. Sticker Shock educates those who purchase alcohol about the legal consequences of providing alcohol to minors. Eighteen youth participated.
AFTER PROM and AFTER GRADUATION PARTIES
Between April and June 2011, the SAW Coalition provided financial support to four area high schools to conduct drug-free after prom parties and one after-graduation party. 781 youth attended the after-prom parties.