Advocates dedicated to preventing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use traveled from across Vermont to spend April 30 at the Vermont State House to celebrate Prevention Day.
The annual event was organized by Prevention Works! Vermont, a network of community coalitions from across the state working to decrease the prevalence of tobacco use, drug use, underage drinking, and high-risk drinking, especially among youth and young adults.
Each year, Prevention Works! Vermont presents its Prevention Champion awards to recognize and celebrate the activity and achievements of those working in the field of substance abuse prevention. The group explained in a press release that a Prevention Champion is someone who goes above and beyond in order to build healthy communities.
“These people help reduce risk factors for alcohol and drug abuse and build assets and protective factors for our youth and other community members,” organizers said.
This year, Prevention Works! Vermont presented the awards to seven recipients, including Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition Director Beth Shrader.
The group said Shrader was being cited for “her leadership, tenacious attitude, and caring spirit that has helped elevate her coalition to being one of the most successful coalitions in the state,” as well as for her “willingness to share her expertise, strategies and publications [to assist] other coalitions in Windham County and the rest of the state.”
Prevention Works! Vermont also honored two youth groups this year that promote the health, safety, and well-being of Vermonters, especially youth. They were recognized for their leadership in promoting prevention in their schools and community.
Brattleboro Union High School's Above the Influence Club, ATI 802, was one of them. ATI 802 has more than 60 members, all supported by BUHS advisors Maryann Kinney and Linda Heimerdinger and by BAPC.
ATI 802 encourages youths to be themselves and not let negative influences - pressure to drink, do drugs, or anything else that goes against who they are - bring them down.
ATI 802 promoted smoke-free zones in downtown Brattleboro with spray-chalk sidewalk signs and created a poster campaign featuring 10 students, each of whom made a personal statement of being “above the influence” of a substance or behavior and highlights the positive influences in their life. The poster campaign has been prominently displayed throughout town.