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Majority Rally Greenville Ohio. CNO File Photo by Nathan Bowen.
  
Prevention Action Alliance
Our Thoughts… 8th Annual We Are The Majority Rally

Yesterday (April 30) was a big day for Prevention Action Alliance. It was the day of the We Are The Majority Rally. We brought 2000 teens from across Ohio to the Ohio Statehouse to counter the false perception that most young people use drugs and alcohol.

Teens are constantly bombarded with messages telling them what to do, how to look, and who to be. These messages are found wherever youth turn—on television shows, on the news, on social media, and in video games. These messages often depict teens using drugs and engaging in other unhealthy behaviors. The reality, however, is that the majority of teens do not use drugs. In fact, many of the teens at the WATM Rally yesterday are leading their peers in preventing substance misuse and promoting mental health wellness by getting involved in youth-led prevention.

We started the WATM Rally eight years ago to give teens the opportunity to celebrate the fact that they do not use drugs or alcohol. It also lets us highlight the great things that young people in Ohio are doing to prevent substance misuse and promote mental health wellness.

Across our state, young people are involved in prevention. They’re making their communities better places to live, grow, and learn. Take, for example, the Ohio Youth-Led Prevention Network’s Youth Council.

They’re the ones who plan the WATM Rally. They take to the stage to rally and inspire Ohio’s teens to prevent substance misuse and promote mental health. They lead the march of thousands to the Ohio Statehouse. They make and set the agenda, vet the speakers, create content for about an hour of the WATM Rally, and act as the masters of ceremony for the day.

They’re leading the way. It’s our job to help them.

We do that by providing them with the skills and resources they need to use effective prevention strategies, empower their peers, and advocate for prevention.

Each WATM Rally inevitably sees students leave as they graduate from high school. Each year, we accept applications for new OYLPN Youth Council members.

If you know a young person who is passionate about making a difference in the lives of teens across Ohio, encourage them to apply via SurveyMonkey. Applicants will be contacted for interviews if selected to continue. This is a great opportunity to develop someone’s leadership, speaking, and advocacy skills and to build relationships with other teens dedicated to prevention.

Apply via SurveyMonkey


 
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