Governor Ralph Northam was the keynote speaker at the opening session of the Virginia ABC’s 2019 Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project (YADAPP) on Monday, July 15, at Longwood University.

The five-day event is a leadership conference to prepare high school students to become involved in keeping their schools and communities drug and alcohol-free.

“To be able to be the ones to take a plan back to your school is a great thing,” Gov. Northam told students during his address. “There is nothing more powerful than peer-to-peer information and experience. I hope you will pass on to your peers to never put that first cigarette, drug, or alcohol in their body.”

YADAPP involves around 80 teams of students who spend the week attending workshops, hearing from motivational speakers, learning peer leadership and prevention practices and learning how to develop a plan to address alcohol or drug abuse use among their friends.

“Now more than ever Virginia’s youth need an opportunity to grow and learn in safe, drug and alcohol-free environments,” said Virginia ABC Education and Prevention Manager Katie Crumble. “This youth-led experience is an inspiring and proven effective means for young leaders to take a stand and create positive change. Their courage and commitment to making a difference save lives across the Commonwealth.”

In addition to working on their prevention plans, students get the chance to expand their experience as leaders by applying for YADAPP youth staff positions and progressing through four levels of leadership with increasing responsibilities. These levels start with the youth leader role, where youth act as guides for conference participants and build to the top level serving as conference interns.

YADAPP also extends to the college level with interns. College students spend 10 months planning every aspect of the program including marketing, curriculum development and evaluation.

Since its inception in 1984, approximately 450 different high schools and community organizations and more than 10,000 students have participated in YADAPP.