Hello! My name is Makango. I currently attend Potomac Senior High School and I am in the 11th grade. This school year marks my very first year doing Y Street after it came highly recommended by my peers and, honestly, my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner!

For our training, what some may find stressful, it was anything but! One of my favorite things about the training was just how interactive and easy it was to follow. I also enjoyed having the ability to work with our incredibly supportive Y Street Youth Field Organizers—or more lovingly known as YFOs! It began with a Kickoff session that provided more details on what Y Street is about and helpful instructions on how to complete the module and training project. The module was broken up into sections, with each providing information on Y Street’s campaigns, Rev Your Bev and Share The Air. It followed with a short comprehension quiz and an opportunity to complete our first surveys for the campaigns! Through the training, I learned about Y Street’s effectiveness, and how members in the program advocate for policy change, such as the passing of the 100% Comprehensive Tobacco-Free and E-Cigarette-Free Schools bill through our 24/7 VA campaign.

Now that I am fully activated as a member, I am excited to be part of a large movement that is working hard to create a healthier and safer Virginia for future generations to thrive in. Though it is only my first year, I hope to collect many campaign surveys and support cards, help plan events, and make real progress on Y Street’s goals. I am excited to continue working alongside our YFOs and other Y Street members in my school and across the state as we continue growing as advocates!

I can’t recommend joining Y Street enough! Are you interested in joining? Go NOW to  ystreet.org to get trained and join the #YStreetMovement!

My name is Amya and I’m a senior at Tabb High School. Though this is my first year being a part of Y Street, I have connected with so many students. I now have a different view on how as young people we can help protect our earth and make Virginia healthier for everyone.

Share The Air is a youth-led campaign that advocates for 100% tobacco-free and e-cigarette free outdoor public spaces across Virginia and promotes clean outdoor air. Recently, our boys’ basketball team had a game vs. New Kent High School, which members felt would be a good opportunity to promote Share The Air and educate our community about the campaign issue. During the game, we set up a fun table and asked students and parents to fill out a survey. Once they completed the survey, they were able to spin a wheel to win a prize!

Large events like this are important because we are able to reach a bigger group of people. Most students like to attend sporting events, and the night of our event was Senior night, so we were able to collect even more surveys. A highlight of the night was when a parent asked one of our members about how she personally felt about the campaign and why Share The Air is important. After she shared her personal experiences, it made the parent want to support the campaign even more.

Walking around and sharing what the whole event stood for was the most enjoyable part. It was an eye-opening opportunity for me because I was able to hear how my fellow classmates felt on this topic. I have learned how important it is to spread awareness for something you believe in. It was very inspiring to see youth encourage adults to show support and take action.

I’m very excited to continue to bring awareness to something that most people push aside. I want to spread the word about the Share The Air campaign and help to get my community involved!

Want to learn more about the Share The Air campaign? Follow us on Instagram; @sharetheairva or go to sharetheairva.com.

Hi! My name is Crystal and I am a senior at Potomac Senior High School. This is my second year in Y Street and my first year on the Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). I decided to join Y Street after my Youth Field Organizer (YFO) shared the amazing opportunities I’d be able to participate in during his virtual visit to my school. This was in the midst of COVID, so everything was online at the time. Since joining Y Street, I have met with key decision-makers and other members of my community to help make Virginia healthier for us all, while improving my public speaking and leadership skills all at once. My only regret is not joining sooner, it definitely exceeded my expectations!

On January 20th, I participated in VA Healthy Youth Day and presented with two of my fellow YSLT members from my school. Throughout the day, we met with members of the Virginia General Assembly to highlight the work of Y Street in my school and community. The day before the virtual event, we prepared for the meetings. Our YFOs provided an overview of the day and helpful tips and then placed us into breakout rooms to rehearse. While in the breakout rooms, my teammates and I shared advice and suggestions with each other. It was amazing to have so much support during the practice session because it reminded me that we can make mistakes as long as we learn from them and move forward. When we went back into the main room, we all shared words of encouragement, asked questions, and reviewed our meeting schedules. I felt more than prepared for the big day!

On VA Healthy Youth Day, I met with two legislators and had a GREAT time! We presented and explained the campaigns while also involving them throughout the presentations. Senator Jeremy McPike shared this advice that I use as my daily inspiration now – “You should always want to better your community and leave it better than you found it.” In the end, we answered questions with the help of our YFO and enjoyed having fun conversations with our legislators about school and snow days off! After each meeting, my teammates and I excitedly prepared Thank You emails for each legislator. Each message was personalized to make it memorable, including links to support cards for them to fill out and one-pagers with more information about the campaigns and program. 

Overall, VA Healthy Youth Day was a blast. I love being a part of the #YStreetMovement!