The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (VDABC) is holding the Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project’s (YADAPP) conference from Monday to Friday at Longwood University this week. The conference includes participants developing Strategies to Act Now (STAN) plans, which are created to prevent high school substance use within individual schools and communities.

Virginia Deputy Secretary of Education Nathalie Molliet-Ribet gave opening remarks at the opening session of the YADAPP conference Monday. Regarding the program, she said it’s been a driving force for positive change in the commonwealth.

“Now more than ever, we need students like those participating in this program: they are exemplary leaders who are willing to stand up for what they believe in even in the face of peer pressure, and who are committed to helping solve one of our society’s greatest challenges,” Molliet-Ribet said.

VDABC’s public relations specialist, Valerie Hubbard, said the organization was really excited about the turnout.

“It’s a fantastic program, and (it’s) important to keep in mind that it’s actually a year-long program that this week is really for the kids, the teams, to develop their plans that they’re going to take back to their schools, to their communities and stop teen use of drugs and alcohol,” she said.

Hubbard said each team comes up with its own plan.

“They drive it, they have guidance from their peers who have done this before, and it’s a very successful model; it’s something we’ve done for 33 years,” Hubbard said. “We’ve got a great group.”

For more information on the program, visit www.yadapp.com.