Teens for Healthy Youth Members Present as Keynote Speakers at SC Tobacco-Free Summit

Teens for Healthy (THY) Summer Interns and members of THY at Bluffton and May River High, Aviana Stevens and Ashlyn Elrod, served as keynote speakers at South Carolina’s Tobacco-free Youth Summit “Escape the Haze:  Facts Over Fumes” in Columbia. Roughly 200 youth and adults attended the summit. THY presented “It’s All in the Strategy: E-Cigarette Prevention Through the Years”. To view the Canva presentation, click here. The presentation focused on how THY used the 7 Strategies of Community Level Change to address the prevention of teen use of e-cigarettes/vapes. Under Strategy One: Providing Information, the ladies shared how THY developed facts about the dangers and risks of vaping for the student morning news. They also included a PSA for teens created by WHHI, the THY Facts Card on Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on Athletic Performance, and the resources on LCAHY’s website. Under Strategy 2: Enhancing Skills, Aviana and Ashlyn shared how THY presented the Prevention Plus Wellness Vaping Program to middle school students to promote total health and wellness by educating middle schoolers on the dangers of e-cigarettes and encouraging positive behaviors like eating healthy, sleeping well, and exercising. Under Strategy 3: Provide Support, Aviana and Ashlyn shared how THY uses their Instagram throughout the year to provide support to their peers. Under Strategy 4, Reduce Barriers/Decrease Access, they highlighted doing an environmental scan of gas stations in Hilton Head and Bluffton, in which teens looked at signage and youth access to vapes. Under Strategy 5 Changing Consequences (Incentives and Disincentives), the youth showcased a cling made by THY members to thank gas stations for not selling vapes to minors.  For Strategy 6, Change Physical Design, the presenters showcased posters made by THY called 6 Reasons to Quit Vaping. To see them present Strategy 6 click here.  Finally, under Strategy 7: Change or Modify Policies, they shared that THY successfully presented

to and convinced the Hilton Head Town Council to incorporate no vaping into their no-smoking ordinance, and they showcased THY accepting the November Smoke-free Vape Free Proclamation.  Teens for Healthy Youth is an initiative of the LowCountry Alliance for Healthy Youth. THY members are part of the youth sector in the 12 sectors represented in the coalition.

Aviana Stevens and Ashlyn Elrod present to teens at the SC Smoke-free Summit.

Aviana and Ashlyn presented to teens from South Carolina.