Prevention Day 2022

MONTPELIER - Prevention Day, held Thursday, April 7, brought together youth, prevention organizations, and supporters to educate decision makers and to celebrate the substance misuse-prevention community in Vermont. Over 70 youth participated from 15 groups as well as 68 adults from 14 prevention organizations, three state agencies, and three other organizations for a total of 148 people. This year, Prevention Day was held in collaboration with the Our Voices Xposed Statehouse rally.
High school members of OVX, Vermont’s youth-led movement to reduce youth smoking and vaping prevalence, marched from Montpelier City Hall to the steps of the Vermont Statehouse to speak out against the dangers to youth of e-cigarette and tobacco use and against flavors that are designed to attract a next generation of people with lifelong nicotine addiction. Legislators took the opportunity to meet with students from their constituencies to learn more about what needs to be done in their communities.
 Youth and adults were able to participate in activities to recognize and celebrate how communities can reach a common goal of supporting healthy living for all Vermonters, such as creating community asset maps to highlight the positive aspects that their community offers and what they can do to improve.
 Also at Prevention Day 2022, Shelley Park, a longtime member of the Wilmington community, was awarded the Prevention Champion award and OXV Advisor of the Year award for recognition and celebration of her involvement in and promotion of substance misuse prevention.
Prevention Works! VT honors Prevention Champions who, either through their work or volunteer duties, are dedicated to helping keep Vermonters and their communities safe through their involvement in and promotion of substance misuse prevention.
 Park has been with the Deerfield Valley Community Partnership since 2002, in which time she demonstrated her incredible ability to connect with youth and empower them to not only be open with her but to create projects that showcased and educated students on important issues. Similarly, in her work building off this she seamlessly transitioned into her role as tobacco coordinator, which she has held for the past eight years, and has used her adept ability to make community and youth connections and relationships to lead to multiple successful prevention strategies in local communities.