Irvington High School students Jake Epple, Liam Lyons, Ella Rimland and Scarlett Whitney were recognized at the Westchester Coalition for Drug and Alcohol Free Youth and Student Assistance Services Corporation’s Leaders in the Limelight event on Oct. 27.
The livestreamed event celebrated 76 teen influencers from across 29 high schools throughout Westchester and Putnam counties for their efforts in promoting substance use prevention, emotional well-being and healthy lifestyles. Over the summer, the students participated in the Exercise Your Influence virtual training, along with other high school students from the region, adult facilitators and Irvington High School Student Assistance Counselor Danielle Gamar. Through the program, they received practical tips and tools to develop positive, peer-to-peer social media messaging campaigns that focused on making healthy choices around underage drinking and substance use. They also worked with Ty Sells and Andy Duran from the youth leadership program Youth to Youth International.
“Their commitment to contributing to the emotional well-being and healthy lifestyle of Irvington High School students is evident in the time and effort they devoted to the summer program,” Gamar said. “They continue to exercise their positive social influence by being active members of the Positive Impact Club and making the decision not to use alcohol and other drugs, the right choice for our students.”
The work of the students through the coalition is part of a yearlong prevention-messaging campaign. In addition, they will continue their work in Irvington as part of the high school’s Positive Impact Club.
