The LEAD Initiative: Substance Use Prevention

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Drug Prevention Power Hour student podcast. Now it says this podcast is hosted by Jake White, but in case you missed it, I’m not Jake. I’m Regan McDonald, and you can think of me as Jake’s younger, cooler, funnier replacement for this episode. Now that we have that squared away, I’d like to introduce you to a youth prevention leader, Allie Lieb. Welcome to the podcast. I’m so excited to have you here today.

Thank you so much for having me. Of course, how’s your day been?

Pretty good, you know, had school but I like school so it wasn’t really that much of a hassle for me.

Fair enough. Well, would you go ahead and kind of tell our viewers a little bit about yourself? Give us like the rundown on who you are as a person, what your club is and stuff like that.

I love to. So I’m a senior at a high school in Wisconsin. I’m a student athlete, but I also love to be involved in like the theater and choir stuff we got going on. So I really do like being a part of that stuff and I like the people that I get to meet. So that’s been a big thing for me. I’ve been involved and had friends and sort of like the athlete group, but also part of the choir group. So I think that makes my friendships really diverse in that way.

Last year, I was given the opportunity through a program that I’m in called communities. So communities is a project based learning program where basically we take what we learn in the classroom and then we try to make a difference in our local, national, and sometimes we partnered with people outside our country community. So really just trying to make a positive impact in the places around us. So I was given an opportunity to partner with Breakwater which is a local nonprofit that works with young adults and trying to prevent substance use. And when working with them, I also was able to work with a local middle school that we have, and they have a little club going. And so I was thinking, this is so great that they’re doing this at the middle school level. What happens when they get to high school? Like, where do these people go?

Because unfortunately, it happened so many times in high school where sometimes you just go down the wrong path. Like you become friends with someone that maybe isn’t a good influence on you or you’re pressured to do something that you normally wouldn’t do if you were just making the decision by yourself. So that’s where I wanted to start LEAD. So LEAD stands for Living, Everyday, Alcohol and Drug Free. So it’s a place where kids can come to not feel the pressure to fall into substances. And cause I think that high school, it’s basically about finding your lane.

You’re just trying to find where you fit in. And so you have this lane, this lane. I want lead to fall into every lane. Anyone, no matter where they are in the walk of life, they can come to lead and we’re a community where we’re not going to pressure you to do the things that are unhealthy and that you don’t want to do.

Okay, I love what you said about everything, like everyone falls into the lane of lead. That’s really cool, I really love that. So you kind of touched on how you first got involved in prevention, but like, did you really like have much leadership experience before last year, you said, is that when lead kind of got started? Okay, so had you been like involved in any sort of prevention work before that, or was this kind of when you dove into it?

Yeah, not prevention work at all. I think that lucky for me, I think I’ve always had a passion for it. I didn’t really realize how far my passion could take me, but I’ve lived my whole life in high school experience substance free. And I think I’ve seen so many of, mean, my peers have fallen down the wrong path just because it’s the coolest thing to do. I don’t really care about being cool that much. just like, I’d rather not. So I think that.

I didn’t realize how much it meant to me until I realized how much of a difference my passion could make. So I think in realizing that and getting to partner with Breakwater, I was really able to explore and just that sort of stuff to like rocket it into the sky. And so I was able to kind of take that leadership role for that.

That’s awesome. your group, so you essentially like got lead started. Is that right? Okay. So you started and it’s kind of just you. How many people are like in your group now?

Now, so we just had our first event. So I have seven, I call them lead team members. So if you think of like a student council sort of thing, they have like an executive board. like president, vice president, all that stuff. Yeah, I don’t have a vice president or anything like that, but I have our lead team members. So basically they’re like the mentors or like, I like to think of them like the older siblings, like sort of role models for the group. So they have the seven of those and then over 70 people have applied to be in the club. So I think that’s pretty cool. Our first year.

And you started this last year. That’s insane. That is so impressive. Okay.

Yeah, I was in those health classrooms talking to those freshmen, be like, y’all want to be a part of this. yes. Lots of it.

So you do recruitment, let’s scrap the rest of my questions. Let’s tackle this. So, you know, I remember in high school, I had to do that recruitment thing. And honestly for me, I was always terrified of it. I hated going into freshman groups and be like, join my club, come hang out with me every month. They are, why are they so scary? I’m older than them. They’re kind of intimidating, I don’t know why.

Like they should think I’m cool, you know? So I guess like, what do you say in those meetings? Cause it’s obviously worked for you. Like you boosted your group from one to 80 in the span of a year. So like, what do you say in those meetings? How do you get people involved? Like let’s just go down that rabbit hole.

Okay, so it all started, I spent hours and hours creating like a seven slide presentation. I was just like, this is probably not that serious. I was like, but you know, it’s serious to me. So I’m going to take it serious. Um, so on there, I was just talking about like, what is the club and the reason for it.

And I also wanted them to have an idea of what it looked like, because I feel like sometimes what scares kids away is that they think that they have to like, do everything and they’re gonna like, it’s gonna be a big time commitment. I’m like, it’s really not. I’m just like, I don’t expect much out of them just that they show up when I asked them to show up and that they participate. So it’s not like I’m asking them to go out. So I really try to press that. But also I think a big thing for them was our first event that we held this year was a tailgate. So everyone came and we played cornhole. We had a cookout. It was just like a good time.

And I think that I mean, there were people who hadn’t even RSVP’d for it who are starting to come over and they’re like, hey, what is this about? And then they’d be like, I’ll go talk to Ali over there. So I’d get a sort of talk to them in that way. And they’re like, my gosh, that’s so cool. I was like, well, give me your name. I’ll send you an email and an application, of that sort of thing. I think just making sure that they know that they have a voice in their recruitment. Just like, listen, this is really cool. I’m just like, but it can’t just be you. I was like, get your friends involved. I’m like.

What the heck, you’re freshmen. I’m just like, you guys don’t have anything to lose. I’m just like, you only have upward to go. So why don’t you get involved now sort of a thing. think so that was my big push. And it was also like, this is the first year. And it’s like, isn’t it so cool to think like in the future, like, yeah, I was like a first year member and I was able to do it all four years. So I really try to push that with them. So I think it worked.

I mean it did obviously. So like when you talk about like being a member in your club like do you have to be a member to go to events or how does that work?

Yeah, so this first one, I just, I was really trying to just get the word out, have it be sort of like casuals, like they don’t have to feel a lot of pressure about being there. So it was if you’re a member and you can bring a friend. So my hope with that one was maybe the friend gets involved afterwards or something. So that’s how we did that last one.

Okay, so how do you become a member?

Yep, I send out an application. I call it an interest form at first just because I feel like it’s a big thing. Like, I’m to have to commit to it right away. What if I can’t do it? So I call it an interest form. And so if they click that they want an application on the interest form, I’ll send it to them right away. Or if they say maybe I’ll send them a follow up email and be like, hey, here’s some more details that maybe I hadn’t touched on. Or maybe you want to like think a little further about, like reach out to me if you want an application. So.

Mm-hmm. Okay, I love that. I love that. I really like being clear about what it looks like for them, you know? Because I think that really drives people away from a lot of clubs, especially prevention clubs in high school, is that they don’t know what they’re getting themselves into.

That’s sort of how that thing goes.

Yeah, I had so many kids. I mean this one boy in particular. He asked me he was like, but I don’t do drugs. I’m just like, it’s not. I was like, it’s not for if you’re trying to get away from it. I made it very clear in it. I was just like, it’s for if you’ve never done it and sort of like more of my story, if you’ve never done it and you want to help prevent other people from doing it or if you have done it and you want to stop choosing it. So that’s how I did it. But this one guy was so scared. I was like, we’re not saying that you do. I’m just like just trying to prevent it, that’s all.

I think it’s also really important, like, a lot of times people think that like you’re condemning them and you’re like telling them that what they’re doing is wrong, but like just really coming in with that like open mindset of like, we want you even if you have messed up in the past, like, we’re not like, no one’s perfect, you know, and so like, at least like in my line of work, like, a lot of the times it’s about like, you can change and you can like help someone else with your story and what you’ve been through. So, wow. Okay. We have a lot to go off of. Okay. So looking back at like your prevention, like you’ve done a lot of work. You talk about like the hours you spent on seven slides, right? Like, so I know like that can get to be a lot, you know? And this line of work is really kind of draining. Like you’re dealing with like really heavy topics and like.

There is the whole like, oh, well people think I’m cool. Like you don’t have to care about that, right? But like there is that kind of stigma surrounding it. is there something that kind of like drives you or makes you passionate about this?

Empowering Choices for Youth

Well, I would say for me personally, I think that unfortunately, so many like freshman year, that is not really the thing to do. Like, like, ⁓ it’ll never happen to me. And like the group of people that I hung out with, it’ll never happen to us. Like now senior year, looking back at those same group of people, they have chosen that stuff just because they have fallen into the wrong groups. And I still never have. So.

I just try to think, I’m just like, many of these freshmen are gonna turn to something because they think they don’t have a choice to? And I just always want to give them a choice. I’m like, you are the one who can decide your future, sort of a thing. And if you want support, like it’s here. And so I feel like for so many people, they feel like they’re alone. like, well, I have nowhere else to go. Like these are my only friends, sort of thing. Or these are like, my group of people, it’s like, you can choose who you hang out with and sadly, usually become who you hang out with. So why not hang out for the people who actually want what is best for you in the long run? And so when I was talking to them in my presentation, one of my slide was, should you care? And it was sort of like a, ah, it’s never going to happen to me again, sort of a thing. And I was just like, if you guys are wondering why you should join or if you guys think it’s the cool thing to do, we’ll have I’m going to tell you a really uncool fact and that 90 % of people who have and struggle with substance abuse now started when they were your age. So how many of those people, if they had another place to go and they went to another place, wouldn’t be in the place that they are now. So I think that’s driving to me because I’m just, I’m looking at all these underclassmen or even the people in my grade.

I’m just like, if you guys choose differently now, you have no idea what your life is gonna look like in the future. Or because you made one choice, like how much that’s gonna impact, positively impact your life. So I think that’s just my thing. I’m just like, you are impacting the futures just by giving people a place, a safe place to go. So I guess that’s my why. So much, cause I just think it’s so sad because you sound like you just really want to help people.

Like now in this world, like I feel like almost when people look at teenagers, they do look at like the substance use and how it’s starting really young and it’s such a topic of conversation, but I feel like people aren’t doing stuff about it. Like there are so few people who are willing to step up and be the first to do something. So I’m just like, why can’t you be the first one?

Yeah, why can’t you step up? Okay, I love that. So, you know, you talk about this club called LEAD, right? Okay. And you talk about your tailgate, like what else have you done in the past year? Like what other types of events or like things have you done?

Yeah, so honestly, it’s mostly been me up to this point just because this is our first official year. So most of it has just been me going to like booster clubs or Kiwanis or they sort of like fund youth stuff like that. But it’s been a lot of me presenting my club and looking at the possibilities for events. So we’re looking at like having movie nights and hosting that like outdoors or I don’t know if you guys know what it’s like Milwaukee Bucks, their G league. So we have a herd and the herd stadium, a lady there said that she would sponsor our event there because she works there. So sort of opens up that opportunity. So like when I think of a herd stadium, just like, we can’t have just have like 70 people. just like, why wouldn’t we get like the middle school involved or the elementary involved in? So I just like looking at the future for it, we haven’t.

I mean, we’ve had the tailgate now, but there’s just so much opportunity just for this to grow. that just what makes me so excited.

I mean that is exciting. You look at the growth you’ve had over your first year. Even to grow, even at a fraction of that rate, you’re still gonna be growing exponentially. I love that. So you have already talked about how you had to go to booster clubs and try and get funding. And so what have been your barriers or any issues that you’ve ran into during this past year trying to get your group up and running?

Leadership and Recruitment Strategies

I think for me it’s the balance sort of a thing because I care so much and I want to do so much with Gleed so it’s the how one do I do it by myself sort of thing but also thinking about the future like how is someone else gonna come in as president like they can’t do it all alone so I think the issue sort of I run in this

How does this run in the future? Sort of thing. And how is that gonna look like for the people that come after me? Because that’s who I’m focused on. The people who come after me. So it’s really just been like me sitting down at a table and writing out a bunch of different ways that LEAD could go. Does it just stay at Oshkosh North? Does it go to just our little conference that we have? Do we go outside of Wisconsin? Does that become a thing?

It’s sort of been like, what do I want it to be and what is gonna reach the most amount of people? So I guess that’s been like my biggest thing. I’m just like, so I’m really starting like with no foundation here. I’m just like, I’m building the foundation. I’m building the house by myself. I’m just like, so just trying to figure that out. So yeah, it’s scary, but it’s exciting at the same time because I mean, there’s so many ways this could grow. So yeah.

I love that you talk about like the balance because I think we forget about that a lot. It’s like you are in high school. Like you have a lot more on your plate than just lead. You know, you talk about everything else you’re involved in and like you never want to get to a point where you’re pouring so much into you that like you can’t pour anything else into everything else you love. And so like I remember when I first got started like my sponsor having to sit me down and tell me to delegate a little more like you just, can’t do it all by yourself, even though like, you definitely want to, you know? And so my gosh, yeah, I’m just like, I just wanna do this, like, I need to get it done. I’m just like.

No! And you know that like, it’s gonna be good if you do it. You know, you trust yourself. Yes. Yes!

Yeah, my gosh, that is the biggest thing. just like, because I want to like lean on the people like next to me. And so I’m just like, but this is like my baby. I’m just like, I need to do it. I’m just like, I need to do it by myself. I need to watch it grow. So yeah.

And so like, hate to admit it, but like, this is like a high school kind of group, like, about to graduate. So like, what happens to lead after you graduate? Like, have you thought about that at all?

Building a Supportive Community

Yeah, so luckily I have made the decision that I’m going to stay in my city and go to college here because not only do I save money, which is a perk obviously, but I also still get to be involved. So I think that being the founder of LEAD, I really get to pour into like the junior class who will become the next LEAD team and who will become the next president.

Obviously, but I’m right there to assist them along the way. just like, because I mean, I had, I think adults that I like leaned on a little bit because I’m involved in student council. So I’m the vice president of student council. So the advisor of student council, I was really like, how do you make it work? I’m just like, because I’m gonna soon be an outside force coming into high school. I’m just like, can I make that work? And how does this work in the future and stuff like that? And my dad who is now one of the teacher advisors for LEAD, like it’s really been me and him. just like, you’re still going to be connected to it. We just got to figure it out. So that sort of thing. So I would, I can not walk away from it now.

I’m just like, it means too much to me. I’m just like, and the nice thing about it is like, I see how much it means to everyone else. I’m just like, if there were two people that signed up for LEAD and stuff, I’d still be going all in because those two people want to be there. But the fact that it’s like 80, I’m just like those people, like they see that it matters. So that makes me see that they want this and I want it so much for them. So I cannot walk away from that. So yeah.

Yeah, like whether you have one person show up or you have a hundred people show up, like you can make a real impact on that one person’s life. And if anything, like that’s more valuable than like a hundred people who are just sort of hearing what you’re saying.

Absolutely. I made it very clear. I was just like, if you guys are not interested, I’m just like, please, I’m just like, you guys do not feel like you have to come. I’m just like, I don’t, I don’t need that. I’m just like, do it for you. I’m just like, but it, honestly, it takes more energy away from the people who are there. If you’re trying to get people like hyped up to be there, I’m just like, if you’re not hyped, walking through the gates, I’m just like, turn around, you’re fine.

Yes, I like that. So, you’ve been doing this for years. Like, you’re kind of used to it by now. What do you think that that experience has taught you? Or like, how has it been good for you?

Navigating Leadership Challenges

Yeah, so I talked a little bit about you before, being around the school environment so much, like I always wanted to be a teacher. So I think that this year and starting lead has really opened my eyes to do I really want to be a teacher to teach or do I want to be a teacher because I know that I’ll have a direct impact on kids’ lives every single day. So in starting lead, I sort of shifted my what almost

And I realized that after high school, like I want to study and go into nonprofit work. So I want to have a career in that. yeah. So Lead has really just opened up like, cause I felt like teaching, you know, that’ll be great. I’m just like, I get to work like with kids every single day. And that’s what I love to do. Like I love working with like the younger generation. I’m just like, even if they are almost close to my age, they’re young to me. It’s fine. Like younger people because I do think they have so much to offer. I’m just like, they just have to realize it and you have to make them realize it. And so that’s why I wanted to be a teacher. I’m just like, I’ll be right there. I’m just like, but with nonprofit and with lead, I’m just like, I really do think that this could almost be, I guess, like my calling. I’m just like, I do want to help this because it has been my passion and I’ve seen how far a passion can take you. So it’s definitely shifted, I guess, my secondary school plans. So yeah.

That’s amazing though. Like you’ve kind of found out more about yourself through the process.

Yeah, and I think I realized what your question was about myself is that I love learning. I love learning about new ways that I could help and I love being with people like one-on-one and I think that I also like gained a love for leading. Just like I never, I mean like yeah like I was talking about I’ve struggled with injuries in the past so I’ve always been the girl cheering extremely loud like on the bench like that sort of thing. I’m just like, but you really do gain like a new aspect of leadership and that will help you like throughout all your life, not just in your career. So yeah.

Yeah, I love that. I love just the like, the little things that come out of projects and like how you just don’t expect like, you don’t go into like, building an organization like this thinking that you’re going to learn about yourself in the process. And that is gonna like make you better. So like to help other people but like somehow like you get something out of it too. So I love that. is there anything like advice wise or like a quote that kind of helps you out?

Advice for Aspiring Leaders

In terms of like prevention, like for anyone listening who really wants to like get something like this started or is kind of just like working in prevention, but they don’t know where to go. Like what would be your piece of advice for them?

I think my advice would be like, don’t be scared. Like, don’t be scared to be the first one to put yourself out there. When I was doing like promoting for it, like in the first like weeks of it, and I had lead and I’d gone to freshman classes, I went in front of my age and I went in front of some of those classes. And when the time came to take out your phones and go to a QR code and fill out like the link if you’re interested, nobody pulled out their phones. Yeah. And so I just sat back down in my chair and I was like, okay, that was weird.

And I was like, I felt a little disappointed, but then I go back on the form responses and I have 30 freshmen who are interested. So I would say, don’t be afraid to be the first one. Even if you think that it’s not a good rep on you or it makes you feel some type of way. But also, don’t be afraid to be the first one to chase your passion, because you never know where your passion could take you. And what if someone else has that same passion and they’re just looking for someone else to start it.

Wow, okay, I love that. So I’ve loved this whole conversation. You’ve absolutely killed it. But to close us out, it’s time for today’s bright spot. So that one person who’s made a real impact and has just kind of pushed you to keep going forward, I think it’s the perfect way to end because we all have that person that’s kind of encouraged us to chase those dreams. And I just wanna make sure that we say thanks to those who guide us. So.

Personal Growth Through Leadership

If you had to pick one person that’s made an impact on you, whether in prevention or leadership or school or sports, whatever it may be, or just life in general, who would it be and why would you choose them?

well, I think I’m going to go kind of basic here, but I love both my parents, but I would have to say my mom. So my mom has been someone throughout all my life. She’s been involved, but she’s also just looked out for other people and in the most selfless way ever. And so not only has she raised like me and my siblings to be that way, she’s also inspired us to just be that way.

So I think when starting up LEAD and just talking to her about it and stuff like that, she was like, you can do it. Like, you can do it. So she has been the biggest supporter ever and she is sitting down with me late at night, like talking out logistics with me. So I guess I would just say thank you so much to her just because she has been the person that made me feel like my dreams aren’t dreams and that dreams are only things that you don’t make a reality. So, yeah.

That’s so sweet. I love that you have that for you. That’s amazing. I would pick my mom too. So I don’t think that you’re basically very good like that. Yeah, of course. Well, Allie, thank you so much for spending time with us this afternoon on the episode of my podcast. And just thank you for all the phenomenal work that you’ve done and just thank you for not being scared. know, like you really put your passion out there and made it into reality and it’s impacting so many people. You know, like.

It could be one person, but you have 80. Like you have a full like group that is really being impacted by this and you’re a senior in high school. Like that is amazing and really inspirational that you’ve made such an impact even in just a year, you know, and the future is so bright and you could go so far. And I know that you will. And so I’m just really excited for you. And I’m so glad that I got to meet you and have this episode with you. And as we wrap up, would you like to share like a social media handle for either you or lead that our listeners can check out if they’d like to stay connected.

Yeah, for sure. We have an Instagram for LEAD working on a TikTok though. Stay tuned guys. So it’s all under case. So LEAD, L-E-A-D dot O-N-H-S.

Okay, and I will put that in the notes for this episode. If anyone wants to check that out, are they more than welcome to reach out to you if they have questions or concerns? Okay, so.

If you have anything you’d like to know or any more guidance on how to get your own leadership group started, that’s always a resource for you. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or someone who would benefit. And all of our audience members, just thank you so much for giving Jake’s replacement a chance and for listening to Ali’s story and for all the life-saving work that you’re doing in your own communities. It does not go unnoticed and we just really appreciate your time and dedication to the cause. This has been the Drug Prevention Power Hour with your host, Regan McDonald, doing Jake’s job only better. We’ll see you next time.