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Valley Student presented with Youth
Leadership Award at Risky Business Conference

Every year, Youth & Shelter Services in Ames, Iowa sponsors a Youth Leadership Award that recognizes outstanding achievements youth are making in the state of Iowa. It is a prestigious and coveted award that only one student per year is selected for out of hundreds of applicants.



To be eligible for the award, the nominated student must meet certain criteria, and the award is given only to a youth who has consistently:

* Participated in youth/adult partnerships;
*demonstrated positive peer role modeling;
* communicated effectively;
* participated in service to their community;
* spoken on behalf of youth; and
* served in a leadership role in their school and/or community

The winning applicant is selected by a panel of Youth & Shelter Services staff, prevention specialists, other professionals, youth, community members and Risky Business Conference planners.

For the 2008 award, there were such excellent applicants that co-recipients were selected for the first time ever since the award began in 1998.

One of those recipients was Jenna Pollock, a senior at Valley Community High School! She is the first student from the Northeast corner of the state to receive this award!

Jenna’s winning nomination told of her leadership, positive role modeling, interacting and teaching younger students, standing up for what she believes in even in the face of diversity, and getting involved in the community as an advocate for youth. Letters of recommendation from Valley Community School, the Clermont Police Department, and Helping Services for Northeast Iowa also accompanied the nomination.

Jenna and her dad, Scott, were invited to attend a formal breakfast on Tuesday, May 6 at Iowa State University. The breakfast was held the morning of the Risky Business Youth Leadership Conference.

While at the breakfast, Jenna and her dad were able to meet shareholders, conference planners and major contributors, as well as keynote speakers for the conference.

Risky Business is an annual youth leadership conference held at ISU. Over 600 youth and adults participate in workshops on all types of issues youth face in today’s society. While there, participants make new contacts, gather information and learn exciting new ideas and activities they can bring back and use in their communities to make a positive difference.

During the opening Youth plenary session of the Risky Business Conference, Jenna was presented with a large plaque and introduced by Iowa’s first lady, Mary Culver. During her acceptance speech, Jenna contributed her successes to her dad, her family, a strong support system and SODA (Students Okay Without Drugs or Alcohol). There were eleven other SODA members, her dad and three adult chaperones in the audience cheering her on!

Throughout the entire conference, Jenna was recognized and honored for her efforts by conference presenters, staff and participants. SODA was also recognized for the difference they are making in the Valley and the example they are setting for youth across the state!

While at the conference, Jenna was also part of a presenting team of six SODA members that facilitated a workshop called “SODA – Be the Difference!” The workshop consisted of a skit, a powerpoint presentation, a panel discussion and lots of interaction with the audience.

It was the first time that SODA has presented at a state conference and they did a GREAT job! The workshop had close to 60 people in attendance, and there are many students and adults from schools all across Iowa that would like to get a SODA group started in their community!

Youth who presented the SODA workshop received many compliments on their presentation and on the amazing things that SODA and the VCC are doing in the Valley. It was an awesome experience for the youth and now SODA is recognized on a state level! The team has even been invited to attend other events to present information about the group!

SODA is part of the VCC – Valley Community Coalition whose mission is to reduce substance use and abuse by youth in the Valley Community. If you have questions, would like SODA to come and present to your community group, church, etc., or would like more information, please call the VCC office: 563.423.5171, or visit our website: www.vccsoda.org