Hawaii Meth Project’s 2013-14 Teen Advisory Council Members. Front row from left: Kayla Yamada, Erica Brenner, Jasey Frasco, Mari Domingo and Erica Owan. Middle row from left: Dakota Mengel, Alicia Huliganga, McKayla Wandell, Markus Perry, Ryan Kono and Kehaulani Likio. Back row from left: Hannah Carnes, John Ortega, Ian Sanborn and Brittany Amano.
By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)– Hawaii Meth Project announced today the newly appointed student members of its Teen Advisory Council for the 2013-2014 school year. This year’s council is comprised of 19 high school students from Lanai, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii Island and Oahu. The Teen Advisory Council assists the Hawaii Meth Project in its statewide community outreach program. Student members will help raise awareness about the risks of methamphetamine use, and provide a teen perspective on the prevention campaign’s strategies and messages.
This year’s advisory council was selected through a competitive application and interview process. During their term, council members will be involved in a number of outreach and service projects. They will represent the Hawaii Meth Project at community events, initiate activities and projects at their schools, and engage peers online via social media.
“It is such an honor to have been selected to serve on the Teen Advisory Council for a second term,” said Oksana Gil, a senior at King Kekaulike High School on Maui. “I’m excited to continue working with the Hawaii Meth Project this year initiating peer-to-peer outreach in my school and community. It’s so important to spread awareness of the risks associated with using meth and help to empower my peers to make the decision to stay away from it.”
2013-2014 Teen Advisory Council Members:
Lanai
Sheila Marie Gani – 12th grade, Lanai High School
Maui
Oksana Gil* – 12th grade, King Kekaulike High School
Alicia Huliganga – 12th grade, Lahainaluna High School
Rachel Nguyen* – 12th grade, Seabury Hall
McKayla Wandell – 11th grade, Baldwin High School
Kauai
John Ortega – 12th grade, Kapaa High School
Erica Owan – 10th grade, Kauai High School
Hawaii Island
Jasey Frasco – 12th grade, Kamehameha Schools Hawaii Campus
Ian Sanborn – 10th grade, Kamehameha Schools Hawaii Campus
Kayla Yamada* – 12th grade, Waiakea High School
Makoa Yoshida – 9th grade, Konawaena High School
Oahu
Brittany Amano – 11th grade, Iolani School
Erica Brenner – 10th grade, Island Pacific Academy
Hannah Carnes – 12th grade, Kalaheo High School
Mari Domingo – 11th grade, Mililani High School
Ryan Kono – 10th grade, Hawaii Baptist Academy
Kehaulani Likio – 12th grade, University Lab School
Dakota Mengel – 11th grade, Mililani High School
Markus Perry – 12th grade, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus
* Returning members
“This is the fourth consecutive year that we have been privileged to work with such talented and motivated student leaders,” said David Earles, Executive Director of the Hawaii Meth Project. “Peer-to-peer interaction is critical to sharing our message with Hawaii’s youth. Our goal is to enable the members of this Teen Advisory Council to be strong voices in their communities far beyond the time they spend working directly with us here at the Hawaii Meth Project.”
Since the Teen Advisory Council was formed in 2010, student members have been instrumental in reaching out to their peers and expanding the teen volunteer base within their respective communities. Many council members take on the task of organizing Meth Awareness Days on their own campuses. The programs consist of interactive presentations focused on educating students about the risks of meth use by incorporating the use of social and cultural activities, such as art and dance.
About the Hawaii Meth Project
The Hawaii Meth Project is a nonprofit organization that implements large-scale, research-based campaigns and community action programs to reduce methamphetamine use in the state. Central to its integrated campaigns is MethProject.org <http://www.MethProject.org> —a definitive source for information about meth for teens. The Hawaii Meth Project is affiliated with The Partnership at Drugfree.org <http://www.drugfree.org> , a national nonprofit organization working to help families solve the problem of teen substance abuse. For more information, visit Hawaii.MethProject.org <http://hawaii.methproject.org> .