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Hello, my name is Zané. I attend Oologah High School. I am involved in Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, which focuses on preventing unhealthy habits like tobacco use and educating people about how it affects lives, especially youth. I joined YAHL because I want to learn more, meet new people and help make Oklahoma a healthier place. Health education matters to me because I have seen how addiction can harm families and I want to help people make better choices and protect their health.

Health advocacy is important to me because people of all ages can be affected by unhealthy habits, no matter their background. As a wrestler and athlete, I understand how important it is to take care of your body, especially your lungs and overall health. YAHL’s campaigns, CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health, help me connect with others and spread awareness in a way that feels supportive and not judgmental. 

One part of YAHL that stands out to me is how the campaigns focus on education and prevention instead of blame. YAHL helps youth understand how industries, including Big Tobacco, target young people and how unhealthy habits like tobacco use can start early and become lifelong struggles. I appreciate that YAHL gives us a voice to speak up for ourselves and others, especially students who may feel pressured by friends or social media. Being part of these campaigns makes me feel empowered because I know I am helping share facts, start conversations and encourage healthier choices in a respectful way.

My work in YAHL can positively impact my family, school and community by helping people understand how unhealthy habits like tobacco use affect everyday life and long-term health. I live on a farm where hard work and physical health are important, and I have also had people in my life develop lung cancer from tobacco use, which showed me how serious the consequences can be. Through YAHL, people can learn new information, support one another and work toward healthier choices now and in the future. Members of my community can join me by getting involved in YAHL, supporting health initiatives and standing together to help those who may be struggling.

Hello, my name is Autumn and I attend Porter High School in Oklahoma. I joined Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, because it focuses on raising awareness about unhealthy habits and how they affect our lives. Through YAHL, I have learned new information, met inspiring people and helped work toward a healthier Oklahoma for youth and adults. Health advocacy matters to me because I have seen family members, friends and others struggle with addiction. I want to be in a position where I can support them, encourage healthier choices and help them move forward.

No matter someone’s background, everyone needs support when facing health challenges. YAHL brings people together to create an environment where it is easier to live a healthy life. Through survey efforts, I have been able to meet new people and better understand their experiences. Collecting surveys also allows us to share community perspectives with lawmakers so they can consider policies that improve health outcomes.

I also enjoy the bonding activities and team-building games we do in YAHL because they create a sense of connection and support. Last year, I participated in Swap Up Day, an event where we provided students with healthier snack options and promoted better nutrition choices. Experiences like that showed me how small actions can make a meaningful difference.

Through my work with YAHL, I hope to make a positive impact on my family, school and community, as well as across Oklahoma. I want to help others understand how unhealthy behaviors can affect their lives and empower them to make informed decisions about their health. By serving others, we grow ourselves, and I believe that leads to a healthier future for everyone. Members of my community can join by supporting one another, encouraging healthy choices and working together to improve our well-being.

Hello, my name is Kaiden and I live in Howe, Oklahoma. Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) is a program that teaches us about unhealthy habits that can harm our lives and our future. I have been part of YAHL for about two years. I initially joined because I wanted to learn more about the health issues affecting my community and find ways to make a difference. Through YAHL, I’ve had the opportunity to learn new things, meet new people and make friends while working to make Oklahoma a better place for youth, students and adults. Health activism matters to me because people I care about struggle with unhealthy choices. I want to help them grow stronger, make better decisions and feel supported along the way.

During our training, I learned about the CounterAct Tobacco campaign and the serious issues we are working to address. The CounterAct Tobacco campaign focuses on reducing rising rates of tobacco use, especially among youth. The policies we advocate for aim to reduce vaping among minors and educate youth about the risks. The vaping issue worries me because it often leads to addiction and health problems, not just for users but for those around them as well. I’ve seen the impact of vaping on friends who started using vape products without fully understanding the dangers.

The Elevate Student Health campaign focuses on improving access to nutritious food and ensuring safe drinking water in schools. Youth obesity is a major concern because it can limit opportunities for many kids. I’ve seen friends struggle with obesity, and it can affect both their confidence and their health. Our school provides meals, but they don’t always include the healthiest options. Access to clean drinking water is also essential. Without it, students may struggle with focus and energy. Healthy food and safe water are key to success in school and sports. Physical activity in schools is also crucial for everyone. Obesity continues to be a growing issue in our area, and it’s something we all need to pay attention to.

I care about helping others because addiction and health problems can affect anyone, no matter their age, gender or background. When people feel lost or alone, they need someone to stand by them, and I want to be that person. YAHL gives me the opportunity to speak up and take action so I can help others feel safe and supported. By participating in YAHL’s campaign opportunities, sharing helpful information and talking with community leaders, I can help create a healthier and happier future for everyone. Together, we can build a supportive network for change that lifts up those who need it most.

My name is Brooklyn and I am 17 years old. I am a senior at Keys High School. I have been a part of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) for three years and a Leadership Team member for two years. As a YAHL Leadership Team member, it is our job to educate people about our two campaigns, CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. During this year’s YAHL Leadership Team summit, I learned how to advocate and spread awareness about our campaigns, whether it’s meeting with a state leader such as a legislator or simply talking with my high school principal.

My goal is to make a healthier school and community for my younger sister who is 13 years old. I want to make a better place for her to grow up in. We have a four-year age gap which means her first year of high school will be my first year of college. I have a twin brother who I do everything with. While I had a sibling to start high school with, my sister will not have that same support. Anything I can do to make her high school experience better I want to strive for. 

YAHL has helped me gain so many life skills and helped me to step out of my comfort zone. I have witnessed so much growth in myself over these past few years. In YAHL, I have learned how to prepare for public speaking, set up meetings, contact important people in my community, professionally connect with peers and present to middle and elementary school students. Before YAHL I would get nervous speaking up in class or talking to adults, but now I feel confident sharing my ideas and standing up for what I believe in. YAHL has shown me that teens can make real change when we use our voices.

It truly means so much to me that YAHL has given me the opportunity to make a change in my school and community for my younger sister. I am so grateful to be a part of the YAHL organization and Leadership Team. This program has shaped me into someone who wants to lead, help others and create a healthier future for the next generation.

Hello, my name is Madison. I am from Haskell, Oklahoma. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, an initiative funded by the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET). YAHL empowers high school students to promote health and advocate for policies related to nutrition, active living and the prevention of tobacco and vaping use among youth. Through the program, I plan to be involved in leadership training, learn about health and make a change in Oklahoma. In my generation and the people I’m surrounded by, I see a lot of nicotine use. I believe our efforts in YAHL can help change those unhealthy behaviors. 

Nicotine is an unhealthy and dangerous substance because it is highly addictive and harms the body. Nicotine causes withdrawal symptoms, cardiovascular damage, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and a higher risk of heart attacks. It can also lead to severe lung damage. Vapes and cigarettes should be harder for young people to access, and there should be consequences for adults who provide them to minors. YAHL’s CounterAct Tobacco campaign addresses these issues by collecting surveys about people’s opinions on tobacco and tobacco policy. We use the data to try to encourage lawmakers to strengthen tobacco regulations.

My school also faces barriers to good health, such as poor water quality and unhealthy food options. YAHL’s Elevate Student Health campaign helps address these problems by advocating for healthier food and cleaner water in schools. We push for better nutrition and encourage students to choose healthy foods over junk food. These changes help us build lifelong habits that support our health and well-being. 

Through YAHL, I have learned to be more confident in my public speaking by speaking out for what’s right and advocating for positive change in my community and school. I will strive to make a difference in Oklahoma with YAHL. I see all the problems with tobacco and obesity around me, and I will continue to try to help make a difference. I hope to become a better person and help others do the same. YAHL is a program I really enjoy that brings students together to work on these big problems around us. 

My name is Sage S., and I am 15 years old. I attend Atoka Public Schools and am part of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), a program that educates others and promotes policies that improve youth health and reduce tobacco use. I participate in YAHL primarily for the connections and networking opportunities. YAHL allows me to meet new people, strengthen natural leadership skills like public speaking and build connections that may benefit me in the future. For me, it’s also a chance to grow personally and advocate for issues I care about.

Health activism matters to me because I find it unnecessary for teens to harm their health and risk others’ health simply because they are unaware of or apathetic toward the dangers of tobacco use. I firmly believe that educating others and implementing policies that protect youth health can lead to happier, healthier communities.

Across Oklahoma, many teens spend their days sitting on the couch eating candy, watching TV or vaping. That’s become the norm, but we can change that. By offering healthier alternatives, making exercise fun and helping teens understand what they’re putting into their bodies, we can encourage better habits. That’s exactly what YAHL is all about.

I hope to build connections by raising public awareness about these important issues. I can do that by meeting with legislators, speaking to political leaders and engaging in public speaking, which I enjoy. YAHL gives me the opportunity to do all of this while learning more about how we can improve community health. It’s an incredible experience that is helping me prepare for success and I believe everyone deserves that same chance. That’s why YAHL is so important to me.

Hello, my name is Jayson and I am 16 years old. I am a senior at Muskogee High School. I have been part of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) since my sophomore year, and this is my first year on the Leadership Team. YAHL is a youth-led organization that educates people in Oklahoma about unhealthy habits and the impact they can have on our lives. We also advocate for policies that make it easier to live a healthy life. When you join YAHL, you learn new things about your community, meet new people and make friends along the way. Health activism matters to me because I can positively affect the lives of people younger than me.

YAHL events have made me feel like I’ve actually made an impact on people’s lives. I participated in a Swap Up Day as part of the Elevate Student Health campaign at my school. Elevate Student Health helps Oklahoma schools improve youth health by increasing physical activity and offering better nutrition. During Swap Up Day, a couple of friends and I handed out healthy snacks and drinks to students after school. It brought so much joy to my classmates and drew attention to how the foods we eat affect our energy, learning, sports and extracurriculars.

Another event we held was on Halloween, where we shared information about the CounterAct Tobacco campaign. CounterAct Tobacco works to update retail licensing laws in Oklahoma to hold Big Tobacco accountable for targeting youth. At the event, we passed out candy while informing people about the dangerous effects of tobacco use. We also collected surveys so we could share community opinions with state lawmakers. This was one of the first YAHL events I participated in during high school. It was memorable and my favorite event because we got a lot of attention and people truly wanted to listen to what we had to say.

YAHL has empowered me and given me a voice to talk about these issues with those around me. More recently, I spoke to my city council about CounterAct Tobacco and what they can do to help us protect our community. I hope that by educating people in my community, I can play a role in making Oklahoma a healthier place.

My name is My, and I’m from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) is a youth-led program that highlights the factors and byproducts in choices related to health. Health doesn’t discriminate against anyone; it affects everyone and everything living. My health teacher suggested that I join YAHL to expand my knowledge about health. As I continue my journey in YAHL, I’ve learned more about current health issues in Oklahoma and the impact of my actions in my community. People are always thankful to learn about and understand their health, or the health of their loved ones, through the education YAHL provides. Educating people about health is the pivotal first step toward understanding it. YAHL is part of this stepping stone and gives teens opportunities to connect with the community through various outlets.

With the continuous growth of technology, we are exposed to media at an exponential rate. As technology grows, so does our understanding and knowledge of current health information. Health information, like other information, spreads quickly on social media, where anyone can share medical advice. These self-proclaimed professionals often take bits and pieces of the whole picture to mislead, misguide and ultimately misinform vulnerable audiences for profit. Blogs from YAHL websites—CounterAct Tobacco, Elevate Student Health and Youth Action for Health Leadership—are designed to provide credible stories and lessons about the importance of health.

During my time with YAHL, I was encouraged to write blogs. One of my pieces was even featured in The Oklahoman. This recognition showed me the impact my stories can have on my community. Writing these blogs is a personal journey, helping me share my experiences while building my confidence, especially regarding my health struggles such as weight loss and the effects of tobacco. Additionally, my testimonies about our campaigns have empowered me to speak out about the decisions made by officials, both good and bad. By sharing our stories, we can inspire change and support one another in our journey toward better health and understanding.

Writing blogs on my own may not make a significant impact, but by reaching out to news outlets and using my social media to share my journey, I can touch lives beyond my immediate community. I envision my stories as the first steps toward writing for academic journals.

By sharing my experiences with the world, I can inspire others to share their narratives. Blogging is a powerful form of storytelling—anyone can do it, and it can provide a sense of anonymity for those who wish to share their truths without revealing their identities. Today, we focus on overcoming adversity; tomorrow, we may pave the way for transformative research. Together, our voices can create a tapestry of shared experiences that encourages understanding and healing.