21 LEAAD Youth Ambassadors from Loveland, led by program coordinator Katie Sedziol (on the left), attended the 2019 We Are The Majority Rally in Columbus on April 30.
Thousands of teens from across the state come together to celebrate their drug-free lifestyle
Columbus, Ohio – On Tuesday, April 30, 21 LEAAD (Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs) youth ambassadors from Loveland City Schools embarked on their first trip to the “We Are The Majority Rally” in Columbus, Ohio. There they met more than 2,000 other teens from across Ohio to celebrate that the majority of youth in the state are choosing to stay drug and alcohol free. The day was full of events to shine a light on the fact that youth in Ohio are promoting mental health wellness and leading the way in alcohol and drug prevention efforts. The event, organized by the nonprofit “Prevention Action Alliance,” included a performance and testimony from the local Columbus band Pray for Sleep. In addition, Governor Mike DeWine spoke to the youth about the importance of the hard work within the prevention realm they are facilitating in their communities.
The vision of LEAAD, a coalition with members that include Loveland City Schools, the NEST Community Learning Center, Hope Restored, Little Miami River Chamber Alliance, the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department and many more, is to provide students with direction, education and awareness of healthy life choices in a positive environment, and support children and families in prevention and intervention strategies through community and school activities based on best practices research, data and policy.
“They’re making our community a better place to live”
“The coalition is beyond thankful to the youth ambassadors for leading the charge on prevention efforts in the community of Loveland,” said Katie Sedziol, LEAAD program coordinator. “They’re making our community a better place to live, grow and learn. We hope that this rally marks the first of many future trips to Columbus in the years to come to celebrate that youth are an integral piece of the drug prevention efforts in Loveland.”
For more information about LEAAD and how to join the coalition, please contact Katie Sedziol at [email protected]. All adults and youth are welcome.
