Senator Tom Libous, Lourdes President/CEO David Patak and YES! Safe Choices for Kids were joined by local parents, teachers and school administrators to honor more than 540 Broome, Tioga and Chenango YES! LEADers at the YES! LEADers Change Lives Recognition Reception.
YES! LEADers are middle and high school students who, after a day of hands-on training, present to local elementary school students about the dangers of substance abuse, the importance of self-esteem and its role in making healthy choices as they grow up.
“Our YES! LEADers serve our community every day by volunteering countless hoursfor their peers and for younger students,” said Senator Libous. “Their dedication to a drug-free lifestyle serves as an inspiration to the lives they’ve touched.”
Senator Libous and David Patak also announced the winners of the Jill Kavanagh Memorial YES! LEADS Scholarships. Ryan Porter, a Bainbridge-Guilford High School senior, received a $1,500 scholarship. Brittni Green, a Susquehanna Valley High School senior, received a $750 scholarship. Eric Zwierlein, a Tioga Central High School senior, received a $250 scholarship. These three students were chosen based upon their contributions to their school’s YES! LEADS program and commitment to a substance-free lifestyle.
Jill Kavanagh, the former Director of the Broome Drug Awareness Center, co-founded the original YESCAP program with Senator Libous in 1989 and sadly passed away shortly after her retirement in 2005.
“Ryan, Brittni and Eric have dedicated their time, effort and energy to helping our younger students understand you don’t need to drink, do drugs or bully in order to fit in and have fun,” said David Patak.
YES! Safe Choices for Kids, a partnership between Senator Libous and Lourdes Hospital, is now in its 23rd year. Since 1989, more than 8,500 YES! LEADers have helped teach more than 100,000 elementary school students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. This year’s LEADers, representing 14 school districts, presented to over 6,000 elementary school students.
To check out pictures from this year's YES! LEADers Change Lives Reception, visit the photo gallery at www.YesSafeChoices.org.
Monday, May 7, 2012
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