Titusville, Florida
“I’m Stanley Briggs, Executive Director of Brevard Prevention Coalition. We are at the YMCA in Titusville, Florida today. I obviously am really excited, still trying to calm down from all the energy that we had. We had a great time with some of the teens out here at the center, just showing them how they can make proper choices and how their life is even better without it when it comes to alcohol, drugs, just negative choices in general. And let me just tell you, the kids left excited, I’m excited, and we can’t wait to do…
Well, what made us make that decision to partner with Vive 18 is we saw them at a couple of actual prevention summits and conferences. I think it was actually though the first one. I say a couple of them, yes, but that was after I already saw that there was just a difference. They seem to be an energy, a style, even the imagery of how you guys promote yourselves really speaks to youths. And I got a few other testimonials around the summits and conferences from other prevention coalitions, other organizations that just sang Vive 18’s praises. So after having a little conversation with Jake from Vive 18 and then meeting Tomas, I was like, all right, these guys, they look like the people that we can utilize to connect with these teams on a different level.
What makes Vive18 different than some other organizations that I noticed is just engaging the youth in the actual activity. It’s not your typical, maybe lecture style with maybe a few handouts here and there. The kids really have to put all of their effort into being part of this. I also like that right up from the beginning, it was engaging them in just really a cool active icebreaker. It was basketball today. I give all respect to anybody who’s in the prevention field. Some things work with some kids, some things may not work as well. Everything works with someone. But this is something that I’ve seen in how Vive18 does their prevention activities. I think that some of the kids are walking away with a message today that it is possible for them to avoid these negative choices. A lot of times I think they come into it thinking, yeah, that’s easy for you to say. You’re not surrounded by the pressures that I’m surrounded by. But the message that Vive 18 has given to the kids today, at least from me seeing it and watching the activity, is it actually can be simpler than you think it is. Not necessarily easy.
And that’s what I liked about the differences between Jake’s and Thomas’ experiences. I like the differences between Jake and Thomas’ experiences because it showed them no matter which path that they may have been given in life or seen in life or what they’ve been confronted with, whatever their choices are, maybe different households. Some are really averse to substances. Some may say nothing about it and kids discover it on their own at school from the wrong people. No matter which path they were given today like examples to see how they could do something positive with it. Yeah, the style of the presentation today was really good because I do like that they had to come up with a product by the end of it without realizing it. So it wasn’t so much at the beginning, hey, you’re going to come up with this product and you’re going to have to. It was very organic. And by the end, it was something fun. So having to plan an event that would resonate with them, it does two things. Obviously, it helps us know what would work with youths but it also gets them invested because they came up with this idea. So it’s another way for us to engage them beyond this presentation, which is what we’re always looking to do. Everybody who works in this space wants to, okay, how am I gonna get these kids to now take what we learned today and put it into action?
So I really want to encourage anybody who’s in the prevention field or any kind of social services community action field to help youth to look to partner with agencies like Vive 18, but even within their community and see if they can bring Vive 18 to their community together. A lot of times it’s hard as a prevention coalition or even schools or different organizations that do childcare or youth services to come up with the resources to do this on your own. And you think, it’s too much, it’s impossible. Partner, write some grants together with other agencies. It’s all about collaboration.”
Titusville, Florida
My name is Terrell Melvin and I am the program manager with Bovart Prevention Coalition and we’re in Titusville, Florida.
Tonight’s event was amazing. We taught kids how to party responsible and how they can have fun without sacrificing themselves, their future and their friends and family. And it was just really amazing just to see the kids interact. And they genuinely wanted to. So they wanted to interact and have a good time. We didn’t have to force them. And also seeing them being leaders and taking the lead and just enjoying themselves.
So, you know, other platforms would just throw drug facts at them, like, don’t do it, this is what it’ll do to you. But Vive18 shows them how they can just have a good time and choose themselves over drugs and give them alternative activities, which is something that Brevard Prevention Coalition definitely supports. We love them all, so bring them to your city, your school, your state bring them out there.
Titusville, Florida
My name is LaToya Watson and I am one of the outreach specialists for the Brevard Prevention Coalition and we are here in Titusville, Florida. Tonight we had a number of teens that came out and we were giving them an alternative to drugs.
So we were giving them an activity that they could participate in that did not involve the usage of vape or drugs or alcohol. And they were able to kind of work together and come up with an event that they would like to work on with other teens as well to invite other people out. I think that Vive18 is very interactive. They meet the kids where they are and use language that the kids relate to. And we think that that’s very powerful that you’re able to really just connect with them in a way that we sometimes may miss out on.
I would describe Vive18 prevention speakers as fun loving. The kids really connected with you guys and we connected to you guys as well. So it was really good because we met when we were sitting next to you guys at, we were placed next to you guys at CADCA and that’s how we kind of crossed paths and connected and it’s been a pleasure working with you guys since. thank you very much for all you do and keep doing what you’re doing because the kids need you. We all need you. Thank you for your hard work.
If you would like a substance use prevention speaker at your elementary, middle school, or high school visit https://vive18.com to learn more.
St. Cocoa, Florida
Laticia Griffin is the lead prevention specialist with the Brevard Prevention Coalition in Florida. She talks about having Jake White and Tomas Barraza at their event to promote that life is “Better Without It.”
She says that Vive18 delivers a substance use prevention presentation unlike any other. It was highly interactive, engaging and the students were a part of it. They empowered youth voices and got them involved in the show. Students broke up into workshops after to create prevention videos and to create peer-led events.
If you’re looking for a speaker at your Florida coalition or school to address youth substance use prevention – covering vaping, alcohol, marijuana, opioid, fentanyl, and other drugs – visit https://vive18.com to learn more.
Lakeland, Florida
The Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Ohio North Conference brought Jake White from the Vive18 team as a guest speaker to lead a discussion about societal leadership with their high school students. Director Jacob Koopman shares about the experience. He says that Jake instantly connected with the students and brought a message of standing up to societal pressures and social norms. He taught them to leaders by not just surviving, but to V.I.V.E. – living with Vision, Innovation, Volume and Elevation. He tailored his speech to fit the theme and goals of the conference. Thank you to HOBY Ohio North for working with Vive18 to impact and empower your students!
