Drink Up!

Hi! My name is Lydia and I am a freshman at Hopewell High School. This is my first year being a part of Y Street.

The Rev Your Bev campaign is important to me because it helps others get to know the importance of water, which has helped me. Water carries minerals and nutrients throughout the body. I personally didn’t like water at first because I felt like it really wouldn’t help me feel any different, or help me lose weight, so I mainly drank tea and juices. Until one day, I told myself that I was going to start drinking more water, so I bought a 62-ounce water bottle. After the first day, I felt more energized and happier. Being in quarantine made it difficult to lead a healthy lifestyle. I was always on my phone, sitting down, and feeling tired. Water has helped me a lot with being more active, losing weight, breathing better, and lifting my mood.

For the remainder of the year, I’m looking forward to raising awareness to help people see how water can positively affect their lives. I’m also looking forward to hopefully being able to come together in person with all the other Y Street youth members!

To show your support for Rev Your Bev, click here to fill out a support card. Don’t forget to use my Member ID# →17999. Thank you!!

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A Terrific Tabling Event

Hi everyone! My name is Amber, and I am in the 10th grade at Manor High School in Portsmouth. This is my first year as a member of Y Street, and it has been an absolutely incredible experience. One of the most amazing things I have participated in was our Rev Your Bev event that […]

Turning the Table with Rev Your Bev

Hello! My name is Aliyah and I am currently a junior at Granby High School in Norfolk. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I have participated in multiple opportunities for our campaigns, Rev Your Bev and Share The Air, that have provided […]

My Rev Your Bev Experience

Hey! My name is Kevin. I’m a sophomore at Page County High School. This is my first year in Y Street, and so far I’m enjoying it. Recently, some other members and I helped host a Rev Your Bev event at our school and it was a lot of fun. The event took place during […]

Teamwork

Hello! Our names are Vivian and Ayla, and we are 9th graders at King George High School. This is our first year in Y Street. Recently, we had the amazing opportunity to meet virtually with Delegate Margaret Ransone to discuss Y Street’s campaigns and goals. We first heard about the opportunity to meet with Delegate […]

My Y Street Training Experience

Hey! My name is Daniela and I am a sophomore at J.R. Tucker High School. I have been a part of Y Street for two years now. This year, as a returning member, participating in the training was straightforward and educational. The training consisted of four online modules. These modules included information about our campaigns, […]

Brunswick High School Hydrating Youth

Hi, fellow Y Street members! My name is Jaila. I attend Brunswick High School and I am in the 12th grade. I am honored to write about Brunswick’s SECOND Rev Your Bev event this year featuring Russell Middle School! Taking this event to the middle school was a great opportunity to educate younger students about […]

Stand Up to Create Tobacco-Free & Vapor-Free Outdoor Spaces

Hello, my name is Phylisha! I am a freshman at Hopewell High School. I joined Y Street this school year. Share The Air is one of Y Street’s campaigns aimed to create 100% tobacco-free and vapor-free outdoor public spaces across Virginia. Share The Air is important to me because as a person who has asthma, we need safe places to breathe. Youth and adults who have asthma shouldn’t be worried about having an asthma attack in outdoor public areas due to exposure to secondhand smoke and aerosol from vape products.

About 6.2 million children in the U.S. have asthma and approximately 125,000 children in Virginia have asthma.[1] Secondhand smoke is a common asthma trigger, which can be life-threatening. [2]. When children with asthma are exposed to secondhand smoke they are more likely to have severe asthma attacks.[3] Tobacco smoke is not only unhealthy for people with asthma, it is unhealthy for everyone to inhale. All Virginians should be completely safe from exposure to secondhand smoke and aerosol.

Share The Air has influenced me to advocate for clean, healthy, and safe environments in my community. We all should stand up to create smoke-free, tobacco-free, and vapor-free outdoor public spaces across the commonwealth!

Tell us why you support Share The Air by clicking here to fill out a message of support. Be sure to use my Member ID# → 18008.

[1, 2] Share The Air Campaign. (2019). Share The Air [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from https://sharetheairva.com/

[3] Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Tobacco Smoke and Asthma. Retrieved from https://www.aafa.org/secondhand-smoke-environmental-tobacco-asthma/#:~:text=Secondhand%20smoke%20can%20trigger%20an,them%20get%20more%20ear%20infections.

More Blogs

A Terrific Tabling Event

Hi everyone! My name is Amber, and I am in the 10th grade at Manor High School in Portsmouth. This is my first year as a member of Y Street, and it has been an absolutely incredible experience. One of the most amazing things I have participated in was our Rev Your Bev event that […]

Turning the Table with Rev Your Bev

Hello! My name is Aliyah and I am currently a junior at Granby High School in Norfolk. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I have participated in multiple opportunities for our campaigns, Rev Your Bev and Share The Air, that have provided […]

My Rev Your Bev Experience

Hey! My name is Kevin. I’m a sophomore at Page County High School. This is my first year in Y Street, and so far I’m enjoying it. Recently, some other members and I helped host a Rev Your Bev event at our school and it was a lot of fun. The event took place during […]

Teamwork

Hello! Our names are Vivian and Ayla, and we are 9th graders at King George High School. This is our first year in Y Street. Recently, we had the amazing opportunity to meet virtually with Delegate Margaret Ransone to discuss Y Street’s campaigns and goals. We first heard about the opportunity to meet with Delegate […]

My Y Street Training Experience

Hey! My name is Daniela and I am a sophomore at J.R. Tucker High School. I have been a part of Y Street for two years now. This year, as a returning member, participating in the training was straightforward and educational. The training consisted of four online modules. These modules included information about our campaigns, […]

Brunswick High School Hydrating Youth

Hi, fellow Y Street members! My name is Jaila. I attend Brunswick High School and I am in the 12th grade. I am honored to write about Brunswick’s SECOND Rev Your Bev event this year featuring Russell Middle School! Taking this event to the middle school was a great opportunity to educate younger students about […]

Steps Towards a More Positive Future

Hello! My name is Aliyah and I am currently a sophomore at Granby High School in Norfolk. This is my very first year joining Y Street! So far, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in many opportunities to promote our campaigns Share The Air and Rev Your Bev. Participating in campaign activities has provided me with a more in-depth understanding of the issues within my community and methods in which I can bring about positive change.

The Share The Air campaign focuses on creating cleaner, healthier public spaces free of tobacco litter and secondhand smoke and aerosol. Secondhand smoke from tobacco and e-cigarette products has harmful effects on people’s health, especially individuals with asthma. Tobacco smoke is one of the most common asthma triggers.[1] Children with this condition are at risk for asthma attacks and other dangerous symptoms, which can be fatal.[2]

Since the age of five, I’ve experienced the effects of having asthma. Exposure to secondhand smoke has been a significant trigger, yet a difficult one to avoid in some outdoor public areas. Thus, upon being introduced to the Share The Air campaign, I was immediately interested and desired to contribute to an initiative that would benefit those vulnerable to this issue, including fellow asthma sufferers.

In participating in Y Street in the future, I look forward to communicating with policymakers and other key decision-makers to promote policies that create 100% tobacco-free and e-cigarette-free outdoor public areas and other important needs of my community. I also hope to take on more leadership roles to help lead the effort to make Virginia a healthier place. Overall, I’m grateful to be able to use my voice to enact change!

Want to help support Share The Air? Click here to fill out a Support Card and be sure to use my Member ID# → 18168.

[1, 2] Share The Air Campaign. (2019). Share The Air [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from https://sharetheairva.com/

More Blogs

A Terrific Tabling Event

Hi everyone! My name is Amber, and I am in the 10th grade at Manor High School in Portsmouth. This is my first year as a member of Y Street, and it has been an absolutely incredible experience. One of the most amazing things I have participated in was our Rev Your Bev event that […]

Turning the Table with Rev Your Bev

Hello! My name is Aliyah and I am currently a junior at Granby High School in Norfolk. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I have participated in multiple opportunities for our campaigns, Rev Your Bev and Share The Air, that have provided […]

My Rev Your Bev Experience

Hey! My name is Kevin. I’m a sophomore at Page County High School. This is my first year in Y Street, and so far I’m enjoying it. Recently, some other members and I helped host a Rev Your Bev event at our school and it was a lot of fun. The event took place during […]

Teamwork

Hello! Our names are Vivian and Ayla, and we are 9th graders at King George High School. This is our first year in Y Street. Recently, we had the amazing opportunity to meet virtually with Delegate Margaret Ransone to discuss Y Street’s campaigns and goals. We first heard about the opportunity to meet with Delegate […]

My Y Street Training Experience

Hey! My name is Daniela and I am a sophomore at J.R. Tucker High School. I have been a part of Y Street for two years now. This year, as a returning member, participating in the training was straightforward and educational. The training consisted of four online modules. These modules included information about our campaigns, […]

Brunswick High School Hydrating Youth

Hi, fellow Y Street members! My name is Jaila. I attend Brunswick High School and I am in the 12th grade. I am honored to write about Brunswick’s SECOND Rev Your Bev event this year featuring Russell Middle School! Taking this event to the middle school was a great opportunity to educate younger students about […]

WHY I SUPPORT TOBACCO-FREE & VAPOR-FREE OUTDOOR SPACES

Hello! My name is Max and I am a sophomore at Charlottesville High School. This is my first year in Y Street. I feel it is important to talk about how tobacco products are the most littered item nationwide. Did you know that 40% of all littered items are tobacco products?[1] That is a statistic that we need to work to change. When I go to my local park with family and friends I see cigarette butts, which once or twice may not seem so bad, but when you can’t seem to find any clean space to sit down, it can get a little frustrating. I like having clean outdoor spaces to enjoy and that is why the Share The Air campaign is so important to me.

Share The Air promotes tobacco-free and vapor-free outdoor spaces and raises public awareness on the issue. The campaign is striving to create 100% tobacco-free and e-cigarette-free outdoor public spaces across Virginia, which is a very important goal. The fact that Share The Air is helping with this issue speaks volumes as to why I chose to participate in Y Street.

Overall, I can confidently say that Share The Air has changed my life in many ways, the most important of which is opening my eyes to all the harmful effects of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke and aerosol. I look forward to the rest of the year because I have a feeling that change is coming, which is always a good feeling.

To help support this superb effort, please take a minute or two and fill out a message of support here, and be sure to use my Member ID# → 18071.

[1] Share The Air Campaign. (2019). Share The Air [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from https://sharetheairva.com/

More Blogs

A Terrific Tabling Event

Hi everyone! My name is Amber, and I am in the 10th grade at Manor High School in Portsmouth. This is my first year as a member of Y Street, and it has been an absolutely incredible experience. One of the most amazing things I have participated in was our Rev Your Bev event that […]

Turning the Table with Rev Your Bev

Hello! My name is Aliyah and I am currently a junior at Granby High School in Norfolk. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I have participated in multiple opportunities for our campaigns, Rev Your Bev and Share The Air, that have provided […]

My Rev Your Bev Experience

Hey! My name is Kevin. I’m a sophomore at Page County High School. This is my first year in Y Street, and so far I’m enjoying it. Recently, some other members and I helped host a Rev Your Bev event at our school and it was a lot of fun. The event took place during […]

Teamwork

Hello! Our names are Vivian and Ayla, and we are 9th graders at King George High School. This is our first year in Y Street. Recently, we had the amazing opportunity to meet virtually with Delegate Margaret Ransone to discuss Y Street’s campaigns and goals. We first heard about the opportunity to meet with Delegate […]

My Y Street Training Experience

Hey! My name is Daniela and I am a sophomore at J.R. Tucker High School. I have been a part of Y Street for two years now. This year, as a returning member, participating in the training was straightforward and educational. The training consisted of four online modules. These modules included information about our campaigns, […]

Brunswick High School Hydrating Youth

Hi, fellow Y Street members! My name is Jaila. I attend Brunswick High School and I am in the 12th grade. I am honored to write about Brunswick’s SECOND Rev Your Bev event this year featuring Russell Middle School! Taking this event to the middle school was a great opportunity to educate younger students about […]

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LEADER AT MY SCHOOL

Hi! My name is Savanna and I am a junior at Hopewell High School. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). Being a leader in school is a very crucial thing as it sets you up for success in high school and beyond. There are multiple things that make an exceptional leader such as integrity, setting clear goals, and being able to work well with others. A good leader also looks out for other people before themselves.

Being a part of YSLT has helped to grow my leadership skills tremendously. There are many opportunities that you can participate in and experience on the Leadership Team. I now have the confidence to do so many things that I would never have done before like public speaking. The first time I felt like a leader was during youth recruitment at my school last fall. I learned new ways to engage and recruit my peers with finding that the most efficient way was reaching out to freshmen and sharing my great experiences on being in Y Street. In speaking with so many students and encouraging them to join Y Street and become leaders themselves, I have learned that being a leader is not only about speaking to new people, it’s about stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking initiative.

From being on YSLT, I am also learning that there are leaders all around me, myself included, and that being a leader can be as simple as motivating others to get involved or even setting a good example for those around you. By knowing what skills make up a leader, I act more like a leader in my school and community than I ever have before. I know I will use these skills in the future by making sure my voice is heard when spreading awareness on important issues and applying them to my future career.

I am proud to be a YSLT member. This experience has taught me so much about how to lead, how to improve my physical and mental health, and how to be a better person overall. If you are interested in learning leadership skills, don’t miss out! Sign up for the Leadership Team today at www.ystreet.org.

More Blogs

A Terrific Tabling Event

Hi everyone! My name is Amber, and I am in the 10th grade at Manor High School in Portsmouth. This is my first year as a member of Y Street, and it has been an absolutely incredible experience. One of the most amazing things I have participated in was our Rev Your Bev event that […]

Turning the Table with Rev Your Bev

Hello! My name is Aliyah and I am currently a junior at Granby High School in Norfolk. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I have participated in multiple opportunities for our campaigns, Rev Your Bev and Share The Air, that have provided […]

My Rev Your Bev Experience

Hey! My name is Kevin. I’m a sophomore at Page County High School. This is my first year in Y Street, and so far I’m enjoying it. Recently, some other members and I helped host a Rev Your Bev event at our school and it was a lot of fun. The event took place during […]

Teamwork

Hello! Our names are Vivian and Ayla, and we are 9th graders at King George High School. This is our first year in Y Street. Recently, we had the amazing opportunity to meet virtually with Delegate Margaret Ransone to discuss Y Street’s campaigns and goals. We first heard about the opportunity to meet with Delegate […]

My Y Street Training Experience

Hey! My name is Daniela and I am a sophomore at J.R. Tucker High School. I have been a part of Y Street for two years now. This year, as a returning member, participating in the training was straightforward and educational. The training consisted of four online modules. These modules included information about our campaigns, […]

Brunswick High School Hydrating Youth

Hi, fellow Y Street members! My name is Jaila. I attend Brunswick High School and I am in the 12th grade. I am honored to write about Brunswick’s SECOND Rev Your Bev event this year featuring Russell Middle School! Taking this event to the middle school was a great opportunity to educate younger students about […]

Tobacco-Free & Vapor-Free Outdoor Environments Creates Healthier Communities

Hi, my name is Ella and I am a sophomore at Charlottesville High School. This is my first year in Y Street! Share The Air is an extremely important campaign to me. There are so many facts about smoking that had not really come to my attention before joining Y Street. For example, did you know that someone exposed to secondhand aerosol smoke produced by the exhaled particles from electronic cigarettes could be exposed to particles similar in size to tobacco smoke and diesel engine smoke?[1]

On a more personal note, something that I really enjoy doing is babysitting. Earlier in the year, I had a routine with a neighborhood family where I would babysit their son for about 2 hours every Friday. He loved to go to the park, so that’s what we would often do. It’s extremely shocking to think that we could have been exposed to secondhand smoke and aerosol.

With Share The Air and all of the incredible Y-Sters, I believe that we can really make a difference in our communities by advocating for voluntary policies to create 100% tobacco-free and e-cigarette-free outdoor public places across Virginia. Hopefully, this would not only decrease the number of people using tobacco and electronic cigarettes but also help to make outdoor activities and family experiences more enjoyable.

To show your support for Share The Air, click here to fill out a message of support, and be sure to use my Member ID# →18070.

Thanks so much for reading!

[1] Share The Air Campaign. (2019). Share The Air [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from https://sharetheairva.com/

More Blogs

A Terrific Tabling Event

Hi everyone! My name is Amber, and I am in the 10th grade at Manor High School in Portsmouth. This is my first year as a member of Y Street, and it has been an absolutely incredible experience. One of the most amazing things I have participated in was our Rev Your Bev event that […]

Turning the Table with Rev Your Bev

Hello! My name is Aliyah and I am currently a junior at Granby High School in Norfolk. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I have participated in multiple opportunities for our campaigns, Rev Your Bev and Share The Air, that have provided […]

My Rev Your Bev Experience

Hey! My name is Kevin. I’m a sophomore at Page County High School. This is my first year in Y Street, and so far I’m enjoying it. Recently, some other members and I helped host a Rev Your Bev event at our school and it was a lot of fun. The event took place during […]

Teamwork

Hello! Our names are Vivian and Ayla, and we are 9th graders at King George High School. This is our first year in Y Street. Recently, we had the amazing opportunity to meet virtually with Delegate Margaret Ransone to discuss Y Street’s campaigns and goals. We first heard about the opportunity to meet with Delegate […]

My Y Street Training Experience

Hey! My name is Daniela and I am a sophomore at J.R. Tucker High School. I have been a part of Y Street for two years now. This year, as a returning member, participating in the training was straightforward and educational. The training consisted of four online modules. These modules included information about our campaigns, […]

Brunswick High School Hydrating Youth

Hi, fellow Y Street members! My name is Jaila. I attend Brunswick High School and I am in the 12th grade. I am honored to write about Brunswick’s SECOND Rev Your Bev event this year featuring Russell Middle School! Taking this event to the middle school was a great opportunity to educate younger students about […]

WHY I CHOOSE WATER

Hi, Everyone! My name is Abby, and I am a senior at Fauquier High School. I have been a part of the Y Street family for two years and this is my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). The scientific fact of water aiding digestion speaks personally to me. As someone who has struggled with an eating disorder in my past, a part of recovery is learning how to intuitively take care of my body. My digestive tract has a hard time processing foods as a result of my past condition, even though I have been in recovery for two years. Drinking water helps to ease things through my system. Not only does it help to regulate my digestive system, but it also helps with my acne that I have developed as a result of my disorder.

The Rev Your Bev campaign is important to me because of how much it has impacted my life. I especially love sharing the science behind why water makes me feel so fulfilled on so many levels. I would not be able to exercise regularly to reach my fitness goals if I did not fuel up on water!

I am looking forward to graduating and receiving a scholarship from Y Street for all the activism I have done. I am also very excited to see what May brings for YSLT as the school year comes to a close. Rev Your Bev has made me so knowledgeable about the importance of water and this knowledge will carry over into my next chapter in university!

Want to show your support for Rev Your Bev? Click here to fill out a message of support, and be sure to use my Member ID# → 15969.

More Blogs

A Terrific Tabling Event

Hi everyone! My name is Amber, and I am in the 10th grade at Manor High School in Portsmouth. This is my first year as a member of Y Street, and it has been an absolutely incredible experience. One of the most amazing things I have participated in was our Rev Your Bev event that […]

Turning the Table with Rev Your Bev

Hello! My name is Aliyah and I am currently a junior at Granby High School in Norfolk. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I have participated in multiple opportunities for our campaigns, Rev Your Bev and Share The Air, that have provided […]

My Rev Your Bev Experience

Hey! My name is Kevin. I’m a sophomore at Page County High School. This is my first year in Y Street, and so far I’m enjoying it. Recently, some other members and I helped host a Rev Your Bev event at our school and it was a lot of fun. The event took place during […]

Teamwork

Hello! Our names are Vivian and Ayla, and we are 9th graders at King George High School. This is our first year in Y Street. Recently, we had the amazing opportunity to meet virtually with Delegate Margaret Ransone to discuss Y Street’s campaigns and goals. We first heard about the opportunity to meet with Delegate […]

My Y Street Training Experience

Hey! My name is Daniela and I am a sophomore at J.R. Tucker High School. I have been a part of Y Street for two years now. This year, as a returning member, participating in the training was straightforward and educational. The training consisted of four online modules. These modules included information about our campaigns, […]

Brunswick High School Hydrating Youth

Hi, fellow Y Street members! My name is Jaila. I attend Brunswick High School and I am in the 12th grade. I am honored to write about Brunswick’s SECOND Rev Your Bev event this year featuring Russell Middle School! Taking this event to the middle school was a great opportunity to educate younger students about […]

The Importance of Youth Leadership

Hello, my name is Lily and I am a junior from Fauquier High School. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year being on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I have found that Y Street is an amazing place to learn leadership skills.

I have learned how to lead and motivate others to get involved from the activities we held at my school last year. We talked to our peers about the Share The Air and Rev Your Bev campaigns and encouraged them to take action, while creating a sense of community by involving the entire school. For example, we held a water bottle decorating event during our school lunches to promote healthy hydration for the Rev Your Bev campaign. This activity brought together different people from all over my school. We decorated water bottles together and asked school participants to fill out surveys.

Another leadership skill that I have learned is leading by example. For example, I drink water around others to motivate my fellow students and my community to choose water. Leading this way provides me with the skills to help influence others even outside of Y Street activities. I am learning more about how to be a leader from being part of the Leadership Team. Not only have I received training from attending the annual Summit but from our monthly meetings. The Summit was an amazing experience! We were trained and given tips to help develop our leadership style and participated in fun activities to apply what we learned.

As a YSLT member, you are a representative of the youth in your school and community. For example, I had the opportunity to meet with the Fauquier County Parks and Recreation Director to discuss how the Share The Air campaign can help parks in my area become tobacco-free and e-cigarette-free by adopting a voluntary policy. The opportunity taught me how to interact with key decision-makers in my community who are in positions of authority and can influence change, and advocate for tobacco-free outdoor parks.

If you are a student who is looking for leadership experience, then check us out at ystreet.org and apply today!

More Blogs

A Terrific Tabling Event

Hi everyone! My name is Amber, and I am in the 10th grade at Manor High School in Portsmouth. This is my first year as a member of Y Street, and it has been an absolutely incredible experience. One of the most amazing things I have participated in was our Rev Your Bev event that […]

Turning the Table with Rev Your Bev

Hello! My name is Aliyah and I am currently a junior at Granby High School in Norfolk. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I have participated in multiple opportunities for our campaigns, Rev Your Bev and Share The Air, that have provided […]

My Rev Your Bev Experience

Hey! My name is Kevin. I’m a sophomore at Page County High School. This is my first year in Y Street, and so far I’m enjoying it. Recently, some other members and I helped host a Rev Your Bev event at our school and it was a lot of fun. The event took place during […]

Teamwork

Hello! Our names are Vivian and Ayla, and we are 9th graders at King George High School. This is our first year in Y Street. Recently, we had the amazing opportunity to meet virtually with Delegate Margaret Ransone to discuss Y Street’s campaigns and goals. We first heard about the opportunity to meet with Delegate […]

My Y Street Training Experience

Hey! My name is Daniela and I am a sophomore at J.R. Tucker High School. I have been a part of Y Street for two years now. This year, as a returning member, participating in the training was straightforward and educational. The training consisted of four online modules. These modules included information about our campaigns, […]

Brunswick High School Hydrating Youth

Hi, fellow Y Street members! My name is Jaila. I attend Brunswick High School and I am in the 12th grade. I am honored to write about Brunswick’s SECOND Rev Your Bev event this year featuring Russell Middle School! Taking this event to the middle school was a great opportunity to educate younger students about […]