[Liberty, NY] Close to 50 students from BOCES, Fallsburg and Monticello School Districts; and homeschool students from across the county graduated from the first class of the Sullivan Warrior Teens Program held at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in May. Sullivan Warrior Teens, a program of Sullivan 180, is meant to arm young people with knowledge on social, physical and mental health related topics, empowering them to make healthy choices and share this information with their peers.

During the series students came together to watch and discuss films on topics of mental health, substance use disorder, physical health, nutrition, social media and health equity. The films included “Nic Sick: The Dangers of Youth Vaping”, “Game Changers”, “A Silent Voice”, and, the culminating film, “Screenagers: Under the Influence”. Students also shared a plant-powered lunch created by Chef Joel of Bethel Woods.

Amanda Langseder, Sullivan 180 Senior Director of Prevention Programming, set the tone for the series by saying, “What is really important is that you realize we are all here to learn together. Not a single one of us in this theater knows everything about health. Everyone can grow and change; and every single person here can learn a little something about how to improve the health of their mind, body and spirit.”

Sullivan County youth-serving organizations, members of SALT (Sullivan Allies Leading Together) and PARFACT (Protection & Risk Factors Committee) were there to connect participating youth to community resources available to them, their peers and their families.  These organizations shared prevention efforts to inspire Warrior Teens to be leaders of change in building a culture of health in their schools and communities. Damola Akinyemi, Bee Moser (Cornell Cooperative Extension), Thomas Bosket (ENGN) and Megan Robbins (Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster) helped facilitate the sessions.

Sullivan Warrior Teens was supported with funding from the NYS Department of Health Bureau of Health Equity and the 2023 WSUL Heart-a-thon.