The Youth Action Committee (YAC) of the Harney Partners for Kids and Families is a youth ran sub-committee with the goal of raising the awareness of alcohol and drug abuse in youth in our community. Youth from both Burns High School and Crane Union High School are active in the committee. Youth work together on projects focused on addressing four key issues; decreasing incidents of past 30 day use, raising the age of initial use, increase the perception of risk of harm and increase perception of parental disapproval of use.

YAC meets the first Monday of every month with meetings alternating between Burns and Crane. Adults assist in the meetings, but the goal is to have meetings and projects be youth driven. Sub- committees have been formed to focus energies on areas of interest. Youth have volunteered to do work in the sub-committees as well as give input to the larger group projects.

The media subcommittee is responsible for messaging on hall passes and sport rosters. The messaging is written and designed by the youth. Both schools are in support of the kids designing and adding prevention messages to existing documents used by students. At the most recent YAC meeting it was decided the committee would use public service announcements (PSA) written and provided by The Oregon Partnership. The committee will vote on the ads and will begin work after the first of the year, recording the new ads. Another project for the media committee is providing information with regard to prevention and local statistics on alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, as well as, updates on projects and YAC focus in the Teen Scoop.

The law enforcement subcommittee will be working with local law enforcement and neighboring counties in planning and implementing retailer compliance checks. Compliance checks are designed to ensure that local retailers are checking ID to prevent the purchase of alcohol by underage individuals. Two operations were conducted over the summer with 50% compliance in the first and 100% compliance in the second.

The social media subcommittee is currently creating a website for parents and youth. The website will be designed by youth. It will be a place to go for data, prevention messages and positive activities and messaging. It will have a link which will allow parents and teens to send text messages with prevention messaging and positive reminders for making healthy and safe choices. The web page will eventually be monitored and maintained by YAC youth members.

At the December meeting the committee discussed a Positive Youth Activity. It was decided that a dance and Texas hold ‘em tournament would be planned and held on the second weekend of Spring Break. A subcommittee has been formed to plan and implement this activity. The Oregon Healthy Teens Survey conducted Spring 2009 shows that 64.9% of 11^th graders have chosen not to drink within the last thirty days. We want celebrate the positive choices our peers are making to be clean and sober and we are working to see that number go up.

The next scheduled YAC meeting is March 1, 2010 at Burns High School, at noon. A bus will be provided for transportation to the meeting. There are a lot of exciting new ideas and projects in the works. YAC would love to add to its member base. Please contact Gwen Haigh, Scott Smyth or Katie Lee Fisher if you are interested in participating. In Crane please contact Mindy Northrop, Jessica Cronin or Brooke Nyman. Positive energy, and great ideas are always welcome.

If you want to attend the Youth Action Council meetings and/or want your photos to appear on this website, please download the Permission to Attend and Photo Relase form and have your parents complete and sign it.  Permission to Attend and Photo Release for Parent's to sign