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March 2025 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM Page 13 Community
CADY, Inc. Launches Statewide Getting To ‘Y’ Initiative
Over 100 participants representing 17 NH high schools and numerous public health organizations attended the GTY Kick-Off at the Grappone Center in Concord.
Communities for Alcohol- and Drug-Free Youth (CADY, Inc) has officially launched the New Hampshire Getting to ‘Y’ (GTY) Initiative, a transformative youth empowerment program aimed at improving student health and well-being. The statewide Kick- Off event, held on January 23 at the Grappone Center, brought together school administrators, public health professionals, youth leaders, and state officials to explore how GTY can drive positive change in schools and communities. The initiative, cur- rently implemented in seven NH high schools, aims to expand to 50 new high schools through a funding partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Bu- reau of Drug and Alcohol Ser- vices.
Developed by Vermont-based nonprofit Up for Learning, GTY is an evidence-informed best practice that empowers students to analyze their own Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data, identify key concerns, and take action to improve health out- comes. Independent evaluations show that GTY enhances youth health literacy, community en- gagement, self-efficacy, lead- ership, and resilience—factors
linked to long-term positive health outcomes. Since its incep- tion in 2008, more than 100 mid- dle and high schools nationwide have used GTY to spark mean- ingful change.
Elizabeth Brochu, Project Director of the NH GTY ini- tiative and Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist, cited that, “Getting to ‘Y’ gives students a powerful voice in shaping health- ier schools and communities. By engaging directly with their own data, they not only identify key concerns but also develop re- al-world leadership skills that drive positive outcomes.”
How It Works
This February and March, NH schools are invited to form GTY leadership teams consisting of a school-appointed advisor and 5–10 students. These teams will participate in a regional training, where they will analyze local YRBS data to identify 2–3 priority issues and develop ac- tion plans for implementation in their schools. With training from experienced GTY youth and adults, and ongoing support from CADY, Inc. and Up for Learn- ing, the teams will:
• Organize a data analysis retreat
at their school or in their com- munity,
• Recruit peers to identify strengths and concerns in their local data,
• Explore root causes and de- velop and implement action plans, and
• Host community dialogue events to share insights and solutions.
NH schools have already launched impactful projects, in- cluding vaping prevention edu- cation, mental health awareness campaigns, school murals cele- brating student assets, and so- cial media initiatives promoting well-being.
Jack O’Reilly, a sophomore at Kearsarge Regional High School who is in his second year of GTY, shared that through his experience with GTY his team “has been able to talk with members of the community and then compare concerns with local YRBS data to determine what needs to be changed, why it needs to be changed, and how they are going to do it.” Luke Legacy, a senior at Plymouth Regional High School served as Emcee of the event. When asked why he remained committed to the Getting to “Y” program over the past three years, he simply yet powerfully answered, “because it’s purposeful.”
UP for Learning Executive Director Lindsey Halman spoke to the power of the youth–adult partnerships by stating, “in order for systematic change to occur, youth and adults must partner
together.” Authentic collabora- tion between youth and adults ensures all parties are supported and heard in making meaningful change within the school com- munity.
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New Plymouth Deputy Fire Chief
In February, Plymouth-Fire Rescue was pleased to welcome their new Deputy Fire Chief, Dan Doucette. Doucette comes to Plymouth after serving 13 years in the Laconia Fire Department and has now teamed up with Plymouth Fire Chief Kevin Pierce and the rest of their dedicated staff and crew.
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