LowCountry Alliance for Healthy Youth Hosts Annual Teens for Healthy Youth Recognition Event

The LowCountry Alliance for Healthy Youth (LCAHY) recognized their youth coalition, Teens for Healthy Youth (THY), during an annual recognition event held at Hilton Head Christian Academy. During the event, THY representatives from Bluffton High, Cross Schools, Hilton Head Christian Academy, Hilton Head Island High School, and May River High presented their accomplishments to parents and community members via a Google Slides Presentation. Dr. Novince also highlighted the impactful work of the LCAHY’s summer interns and their projects as their preceptor. THY Advisors recognized individual THY members from their school with a certificate of recognition and a gift card.  Aviana Stevens, LCAHY’s CIA Youth Representative on the Community Board, congratulated her peers on their significant contributions to promoting positive teen health in their school and communities. Laura Pirkey, LCAHY’s Youth Coordinator, commended the THY advisors for mentoring and supporting THY and initiatives in their school that support LCAHY’s 12-month action plan.  Lieutenant Washington, LCAHY Board Member representing the Law Enforcement sector and member of the LCAHY Outstanding Senior Service Award Committee, recognized LCAHY’s Outstanding Senior Service Award Recipients, Sophia Blackwell, Mauricio Macias, and Caroline Thomas, for their dedication and contributions to THY and LCAHY. Ellen Andreoletti, a LCAHY Board member representing the parent sector, encouraged the parents to be involved in the coalition and take the LCAHY parent survey. See the Parent Survey here. At the end of the ceremony, Wendy Cummings, LCAHY’s Chair, provided closing remarks to THY.  She recognized that promoting positive teen health to their peers was not always easy, but even small steps can make a big difference in the school and community. LCAHY’s Youth Coalition is a very active part of the youth sector of the coalition. Recognizing the youth coalition is an activity in LCAHY’s 12-month Action Plan under Strategy 5-Incentives/Disincentives within the Seven Strategies of Community Level Change. To see the full slide show presentation, select 2024-2025 THY Slideshow.

Program for the 2024-2025 LCAHY Recognition Event.

Representatives from each school shared information about THY Projects and initiatives that occurred throughout the year, such as the Environmental Scan of Gas Stations in Hilton Head.

Bluffton High School THY Advisors, April Small and Laura Pirkey, with THY members of Bluffton High School.

Cross School THY members with their THY Advisor, Wendy Cummings.

THY Advisor Hilton Head Christian Academy, Jill Lutz, with her THY HHCA members.

THY Advisors, Laura Fuller and Jennifer Weitekamper, with their THY members from Hilton Head Island High School.

May River High School Members took a photo after receiving their THY Recognition Certificates.

Aviana Stevens, Youth Representative to the LCAHY Community Board, congratulated her peers and commended their hard work and accomplishments during the 2024-2025 school year.

Group photo of THY members and THY Advisors from Bluffton High School, Cross Schools, Hilton Head Christian Academy, Hilton Head Island High School, and May River High School. Not all of the 150 THY members were able to attend the recognition ceremony.

Sophia Blackwell and Caroline Thomas, THY members HHCA, and Maurico Macias, Bluffton High THY member, were recognized as LCAHY’s 2024-2025 Outstanding Senior Award Recipients and presented with a certificate of accomplishment. They will also receive a $700 award to put towards college.