Most parents hope that if their child is ever offered something that could harm them, they will simply say no. But I've learned to think about the question differently. Long before my son is faced with a decision about drugs, alcohol, or another harmful substance, I want him to already know what he has said yes to. Yes, I know who I am. Yes, I know what I stand for. Yes, I can tell my parents the truth. Yes, I know I am loved. Yes, my life has purpose. For me, prevention star

Looking back at middle school, I remember standing in the hallway with the “friends” I had tried so hard to fit in with and hearing them laughing about skipping class, messing with security guards, and acting like middle school didn't even matter like it was just some random placeholder until high school. I knew I should’ve not gone along with it, but I was so terrified of being a loner again. After feeling invisible for years, the fear of losing the first group that was actu

Attending the CADCA convention was really impactful because we made a strategy to fight youth vaping in Miramar. Listening to many expert speakers at the conference greatly expanded my understanding of effective substance abuse prevention methods. After applying this knowledge, we mapped Miramar City Hall to pinpoint “hotspots” and analyze how secluded areas like the parking garage support vaping. We also examined how retail access from smoke shops and social access at school