Youth Council

History: 

We are so proud to have a Youth Council (est. 2019) and youth drug prevention clubs (2017/2018) in our high schools which are extensions of the Forsyth County Drug Awareness Council. Our Founding Director, Tammy Nicholson, has a passion for empowering youth and started clubs for another oganization before becoming our Director and then, after getting the adult council members grounded in strategies, she then vested her evenings and weekends into developing a process and materials for us to start youth clubs as well, and performing a beta test with Pinecrest Academy student officers and parent sponsor who were instrumental in working out the bugs in the concept design and launch.  Then South and Lambert high school students started clubs as well.  The materials then went through a refining process with the help of a summer-intern-turned-volunteer, Abby Spencer (2018).  Officers were being installed.  Clubs were providing prevention activities to their student peers.  It was an amazing process to see be born in our community.  

The Youth Council was then born from the officers of the individual clubs.   The founding members of the Youth Council were/are:

Former Leaders: 

Tapasya Katta (Council Member 2016-2020).  Tapasya held the duel role of both Youth Sector Leader and Founding Lambert Club President. 

Current Leaders: 

Saesha Kapoor (2018 - current)   Saesha holds the duel role of South Club President and Founding Youth Council President/Leader

Vinayak Menon (2019 - current)  Vinayak holds the dual role of Lamber Club President and Youth Sector Leader. 

We are also very proud of our Youth Sector Leader, Vinayak Menon from Lambert High School. Vinayak is an amazing advocate for drug prevention and was presented with the CADCA's Outstanding Youth Leader 2022 award. Vinayak is the youngest recipient ever selected. The 32nd Annual National Leadership Forum and SAMHSA'S 18th Prevention Day were held in National Harbor, MD, on February 3. 
 

The Youth Council is ever changing and growing, and they are working hard impacting this community with drug prevention. Some examples of their work are facilitating Townhall meetings to allow individuals and organizations to collaborate with each other, facilitating seminars, helping pass out with Deterra Drug bags, educating through social media, billboards and posters, and much more. If you are interested in joining the youth council please contact rachel@unitedwayforsyth.com.