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Why I Joined the YAHL Team

Hello, my name is Karli Everett from Chelsea, Ok and I’m 14 years old. I am apart of a program called  YAHL. YAHL is a youth led organization to help teens have better physical activity and healthy foods along with having clean drinking water. I hope to gain more leadership skills along with better public speaking skills. I joined because I want to change the tobacco laws where tobacco products are out of reach for young children, teens, and young adults. Two unhealthy trends I see in my generation are lack of physical activity and vaping which we can help because if we take power out of big tobacco companies hands and give  it to ourselves, we can help get the tobacco products out of reach with our CounterAct Tobacco campaign and we can help get physical activity into schools with our Elevate Student Health campaign.

Lack of physical activity is making my generation have more health problems like obesity, diabetes, and even heart problems. Its affecting mainly 11 to 24 year olds. I think YAHL can help by promoting more physical activity by having posters up around the schools along with promoting the program during activities in the school and community. I will be talking to my principal and school board to help get my school to add in the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day. Members of the community can partner with the YAHL program and support us by letting us talk to their audience and collect surveys based on our campaigns.

The CounterAct campaign has taught me how vaping is unhealthy because it is harmful to the body and organs. Did you know Oklahoma is only 1 of 20 states without retail licensure for e-cigarettes, vapor, and other nicotine products? Requiring a licensure helps regulate nicotine products and the sale of nicotine products to children. 90% of nicotine addictions start before the user is 18. The young teens ages 15-17 are mainly affected by vaping, and I know many of my peers are in this category. YAHL can help by requiring stores to have a license to sell tobacco/vapor products and that could help reduce the use of products in young adults and teens.

I want to help reduce the use of tobacco/vapor products in youth and help youth get more physical activity. I want to help by talking to my school board or my principal to pass a new policy. You can help support YAHL, because with you, we can help make Oklahoma a better, safer environment for everyone. Join YAHL today by going to my.yahlok.org/apply. 

Making an Impact with YAHL by Addison Null-Kelly

My passion for YAHL first started at the Leadership Summit in 2023. I was very nervous to be away from anyone I knew but quickly made close friendships that still follow me. Participating in activities around the city and being split into different groups each day forced me to make new friends, which helped with my social anxiety. I really enjoyed going to sessions and learning what YAHL was all about and why all of my peers were as passionate as I am.

READ MORE

Teens Making a Difference with YAHL by Mia Vizueth

I’m Mia Vizueth, and I’m a junior at Stilwell High School. For the past two years, I’ve been part of an amazing program called YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL brings together students from all over Oklahoma who are just as fired up about making a difference as I am. It’s […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Shaped My High School Experience by Katherine Jones

Hi, my name is Katherine Jones, and I’m a senior at Westville High School. For the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of being part of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), and this year marks my third on the Leadership Team. YAHL has been an experience that has shaped not just my high […]

READ MORE

Changing My School in Oktaha for the Better by Olivia Shackelford

My name is Olivia, but everyone calls me Livy. I’m from Oktaha, Oklahoma. If you don’t know where that is, it’s near Muskogee. I’m a member of YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) and am honored to be on the leadership team. I feel really lucky to have such a great youth field organizer, Hannah […]

READ MORE

Empowering Future Leaders: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership by My Nguyen

My name is My, and I am a member of the YAHL Leadership Team. I aim to promote the power of leadership among current YAHL members and future YAHL Leadership Team members. YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, is a youth-led organization dedicated to enhancing youth health through campaigns such as CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference: My Journey with YAHL and Health Advocacy in High School

by Brayden Duncan Hey, everyone! I’m Brayden Duncan, and I’m about to start my Junior year at Howe High School. I’ve been involved in YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) for about a year now, and it’s been awesome. YAHL has two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. Let’s dive into what CounterAct Tobacco […]

READ MORE

Making My Community Better Through YAHL by Aaliyah Larson

My name is Aaliyah Larson, and I’m currently a sophomore attending Stilwell High School. I joined YAHL in 2022, marking my first year on the YAHL Leadership Team. Being on the Leadership Team has provided an invaluable opportunity, enabling me to make new connections, practice my public speaking skills and make positive changes within my […]

READ MORE

Advocating for Health: My YAHL Journey by Frankie Linker

My name is Frankie. I’m 16 years old and getting ready for my junior year of high school. I wanted to share my experience with an amazing program called Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). When I first learned about YAHL, I was intrigued. It offered a chance to truly make a difference in my […]

READ MORE

Empowering Change: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) by Lacey Laymon

I am Lacey Laymon, a senior at Keys High School, and I have been a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) for two years. Currently, I serve on the state leadership team. YAHL actively engages in two youth-led campaigns: Elevate Student Health, which focuses on maintaining the health of our schools, and CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Change in My Community by Kaydence Townsend

My name is Kaydence, and I attend Purcell High School. I first heard about Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) from Aisha – one of the YAHL staff – in my class during school. To become a member of YAHL, I had to go to the training for YAHL members in the fall where we […]

READ MORE

Gaining Confidence as a Member of Youth Action for Health Leadership by Miguel Ramirez

My name is Miguel, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools and a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). I have worked with other YAHL members on different campaign opportunities. I started getting involved in YAHL by going to the YAHL training at my school in the fall. At the training […]

READ MORE

My Voice Matters in YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

My name is Mayra Amezcua, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools. YAHL stands for YouthAction for Health Leadership. YAHL has two campaigns – CounterAct Tobacco and ElevateStudent Health. CounterAct Tobacco is trying to reduce underage tobacco use while ElevateStudent Health is trying to increase access to healthy food and drinks and physical […]

READ MORE

Showing my School the Dangers of Teen Tobacco Use with YAHL

My name is Brayden Duncan, and I’m going to be a junior at Howe High School. I have been in YAHL for about a year. YAHL has two campaigns named Counteract Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. My first YAHL event was our fall festival, where we were able to collect a lot of surveys for […]

READ MORE

How YAHL’s Campaigns Showed Me a New Perspective on Oklahoma Health Disparities

My name is Carina Chen. I am a junior at Classen SAS @NE High School and a member of the leadership team at Youth Action for Health and Leadership (YAHL). I first heard about YAHL in my biomedical class from my Youth Field Organizer (YAHL supervisor), Beverly. During the training, Beverly educated me and many […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Leadership Team Prepared Me to Make Change by Payton Bounds

My name is Payton Bounds; I am a senior at Purcell High School. I have worked with many students who are a part of YAHL and on the leadership team. At the YAHL summit, we all gather from across Oklahoma for a few days to learn more about leadership. I originally joined YAHL for the […]

READ MORE

My Experience with YAHL by Emma Teague

I am Emma Teague, and I am going to be a senior at Keys High School. This year is my first year being on the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) leadership team. My first experience with YAHL was at the training hosted at my high school. Later that year, I participated in YAHL Swap […]

READ MORE

Why Health Activism is Important to Me by Lillian Dallis

My name is Lillian. I am 15, and I’m from Park Hill, Tahlequah. YAHL is a program that talks about unhealthy ways and habits that can affect your life. You may learn new things, meet new people and make new friends along the way! We talk about how to better Oklahoma for kids, teens and […]

READ MORE

Sparking Change for this Generation and the Next by Braden Mensack

My name is Braden Mensack. I am a senior from Keys High School and have beenadvocating through the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) program for almost twoyears. YAHL is a youth-led advocacy organization focused on improving the health andwell-being of youth in the state of Oklahoma. I decided that I needed to join the […]

READ MORE

Passing Policies to Protect Youth by Aaron Roy

Hello, my name is Aaron Roy, and I’m 15 and from Duncan OK. I work with the youth program called YAHL which is an acronym for Youth Action for Health Leadership. We try to raise health standards for youth all over Oklahoma. I joined YAHL to become a better version of myself. I’m glad that […]

READ MORE

My Goal? Stopping Big Tobacco! by Rhianna Dumas

My name is Rhianna Dumas, and I’m 14. I was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and stayed there until I was 7; now I live in Oklahoma City. This past year I joined a program called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, and we work with TSET to get better health choices at […]

READ MORE

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless by My Nguyen

Hello, my name is My Nguyen, I am 15, and I live in Oklahoma City. I’m a member of YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. In YAHL, we work on two youth-led campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. I joined YAHL because it is a really good way to help my […]

READ MORE

My Journey with YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

Hi, my name is Mayra, and I’m from Howe Public Schools. I am currently 14 years old. I’m a part of an organization called Youth Action for Health Leadership or YAHL. I joined YAHL to try something new. When I joined, I was hoping to gain leadership skills, better public speaking skills and earn scholarships. […]

READ MORE

Working Hard to Make a Difference by Essence Felder

Hello, I’m Essence Felder. I currently live in OKC, Oklahoma, and I’m 16. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL’s main goal is to better youth’s lives as a whole, be it through CounterAct Tobacco or Elevate Student Health. I decided to join because I loved that YAHL is not only pointing out […]

READ MORE

Why I Joined YAHL by Deiondra Howard

I am Deiondra Howard. I’m from Coalgate, Oklahoma, and I’m currently 16 years old. I chose to join YAHL because I want to improve my community. As a teen in high school, I am exposed to a lot of vaping on a daily basis. I think that YAHL can help to improve the problem of […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference in Coalgate, Oklahoma by Brecken Hunt

Hello everyone, my name is Brecken. I live in Atoka, but I go to school in Coalgate, and I am 16. I work with a student-led organization called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. I joined for two reasons. First, I wanted to have a bit of fun, and second, I wanted […]

READ MORE

YAHL Impacts My Community for the Better by Carina Chen

Hello, my name is Carina Chen. I am fourteen years old, I am from Oklahoma and last, but definitely not least, I am a member of the leadership team at YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health and Leadership, and they are a health activist group working towards two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate […]

READ MORE

YAHL Leadership Team Prepares for Summit

This June a group of YAHL leaders from around Oklahoma will meet for four days in OKC at the first annual YAHL Leadership Team Summit. These students applied for this select opportunity for a variety of reasons, but they are united by a passion for the health of themselves and their peers. Here’s a look at what some of our Leadership Team have to say.

Some of the students are passionate about the issues of teen tobacco-use and obesity. Aidan Moistner says, “I want to be in YAHL LT so I can spread awareness about teen smoking and obesity.” Lacey Lamon is motivated by change: “I’m very passionate about not only a healthy school but a healthy community free from tobacco so this was a very great opportunity to share some policy ideas for community members that can help make change.” And Aaron Roy is focussed on policy change. He says, “I want to be immersed in the YAHL LT so that I can develop the required skills to lead a team, talk to a public group, and to encourage/persuade people to join the cause that I am wanting them to join.” At Summit, these students will get to share ideas around YAHL issues and get ready to make a difference in their communities next school year.

Others are excited by gaining leadership skills and meeting other YAHL leaders from around the state. Grace Foster wants to make friends and learn how to make her school a safer environment for all. Naquya Ellison agrees and wants “to help people be better and help communities succeed.” Braden Mensack says, “I hope to meet with fellow leaders from my state and learn about further opportunities.” At Summit these YAHL Leadership Team members will work together to do good and make a difference.

YAHL has had an amazing first year, and with an amazing group of students prepared to form our first leadership team, year two looks to be even better. At summit, this group of YAHL leaders will gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to be the leaders our state needs. They will also connect with other YAHL leaders to make their efforts travel even further. It’s going to be a great summer for YAHL!

Making an Impact with YAHL by Addison Null-Kelly

My passion for YAHL first started at the Leadership Summit in 2023. I was very nervous to be away from anyone I knew but quickly made close friendships that still follow me. Participating in activities around the city and being split into different groups each day forced me to make new friends, which helped with my social anxiety. I really enjoyed going to sessions and learning what YAHL was all about and why all of my peers were as passionate as I am.

READ MORE

Teens Making a Difference with YAHL by Mia Vizueth

I’m Mia Vizueth, and I’m a junior at Stilwell High School. For the past two years, I’ve been part of an amazing program called YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL brings together students from all over Oklahoma who are just as fired up about making a difference as I am. It’s […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Shaped My High School Experience by Katherine Jones

Hi, my name is Katherine Jones, and I’m a senior at Westville High School. For the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of being part of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), and this year marks my third on the Leadership Team. YAHL has been an experience that has shaped not just my high […]

READ MORE

Changing My School in Oktaha for the Better by Olivia Shackelford

My name is Olivia, but everyone calls me Livy. I’m from Oktaha, Oklahoma. If you don’t know where that is, it’s near Muskogee. I’m a member of YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) and am honored to be on the leadership team. I feel really lucky to have such a great youth field organizer, Hannah […]

READ MORE

Empowering Future Leaders: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership by My Nguyen

My name is My, and I am a member of the YAHL Leadership Team. I aim to promote the power of leadership among current YAHL members and future YAHL Leadership Team members. YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, is a youth-led organization dedicated to enhancing youth health through campaigns such as CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference: My Journey with YAHL and Health Advocacy in High School

by Brayden Duncan Hey, everyone! I’m Brayden Duncan, and I’m about to start my Junior year at Howe High School. I’ve been involved in YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) for about a year now, and it’s been awesome. YAHL has two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. Let’s dive into what CounterAct Tobacco […]

READ MORE

Making My Community Better Through YAHL by Aaliyah Larson

My name is Aaliyah Larson, and I’m currently a sophomore attending Stilwell High School. I joined YAHL in 2022, marking my first year on the YAHL Leadership Team. Being on the Leadership Team has provided an invaluable opportunity, enabling me to make new connections, practice my public speaking skills and make positive changes within my […]

READ MORE

Advocating for Health: My YAHL Journey by Frankie Linker

My name is Frankie. I’m 16 years old and getting ready for my junior year of high school. I wanted to share my experience with an amazing program called Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). When I first learned about YAHL, I was intrigued. It offered a chance to truly make a difference in my […]

READ MORE

Empowering Change: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) by Lacey Laymon

I am Lacey Laymon, a senior at Keys High School, and I have been a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) for two years. Currently, I serve on the state leadership team. YAHL actively engages in two youth-led campaigns: Elevate Student Health, which focuses on maintaining the health of our schools, and CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Change in My Community by Kaydence Townsend

My name is Kaydence, and I attend Purcell High School. I first heard about Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) from Aisha – one of the YAHL staff – in my class during school. To become a member of YAHL, I had to go to the training for YAHL members in the fall where we […]

READ MORE

Gaining Confidence as a Member of Youth Action for Health Leadership by Miguel Ramirez

My name is Miguel, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools and a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). I have worked with other YAHL members on different campaign opportunities. I started getting involved in YAHL by going to the YAHL training at my school in the fall. At the training […]

READ MORE

My Voice Matters in YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

My name is Mayra Amezcua, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools. YAHL stands for YouthAction for Health Leadership. YAHL has two campaigns – CounterAct Tobacco and ElevateStudent Health. CounterAct Tobacco is trying to reduce underage tobacco use while ElevateStudent Health is trying to increase access to healthy food and drinks and physical […]

READ MORE

Showing my School the Dangers of Teen Tobacco Use with YAHL

My name is Brayden Duncan, and I’m going to be a junior at Howe High School. I have been in YAHL for about a year. YAHL has two campaigns named Counteract Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. My first YAHL event was our fall festival, where we were able to collect a lot of surveys for […]

READ MORE

How YAHL’s Campaigns Showed Me a New Perspective on Oklahoma Health Disparities

My name is Carina Chen. I am a junior at Classen SAS @NE High School and a member of the leadership team at Youth Action for Health and Leadership (YAHL). I first heard about YAHL in my biomedical class from my Youth Field Organizer (YAHL supervisor), Beverly. During the training, Beverly educated me and many […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Leadership Team Prepared Me to Make Change by Payton Bounds

My name is Payton Bounds; I am a senior at Purcell High School. I have worked with many students who are a part of YAHL and on the leadership team. At the YAHL summit, we all gather from across Oklahoma for a few days to learn more about leadership. I originally joined YAHL for the […]

READ MORE

My Experience with YAHL by Emma Teague

I am Emma Teague, and I am going to be a senior at Keys High School. This year is my first year being on the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) leadership team. My first experience with YAHL was at the training hosted at my high school. Later that year, I participated in YAHL Swap […]

READ MORE

Why Health Activism is Important to Me by Lillian Dallis

My name is Lillian. I am 15, and I’m from Park Hill, Tahlequah. YAHL is a program that talks about unhealthy ways and habits that can affect your life. You may learn new things, meet new people and make new friends along the way! We talk about how to better Oklahoma for kids, teens and […]

READ MORE

Sparking Change for this Generation and the Next by Braden Mensack

My name is Braden Mensack. I am a senior from Keys High School and have beenadvocating through the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) program for almost twoyears. YAHL is a youth-led advocacy organization focused on improving the health andwell-being of youth in the state of Oklahoma. I decided that I needed to join the […]

READ MORE

Passing Policies to Protect Youth by Aaron Roy

Hello, my name is Aaron Roy, and I’m 15 and from Duncan OK. I work with the youth program called YAHL which is an acronym for Youth Action for Health Leadership. We try to raise health standards for youth all over Oklahoma. I joined YAHL to become a better version of myself. I’m glad that […]

READ MORE

My Goal? Stopping Big Tobacco! by Rhianna Dumas

My name is Rhianna Dumas, and I’m 14. I was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and stayed there until I was 7; now I live in Oklahoma City. This past year I joined a program called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, and we work with TSET to get better health choices at […]

READ MORE

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless by My Nguyen

Hello, my name is My Nguyen, I am 15, and I live in Oklahoma City. I’m a member of YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. In YAHL, we work on two youth-led campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. I joined YAHL because it is a really good way to help my […]

READ MORE

My Journey with YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

Hi, my name is Mayra, and I’m from Howe Public Schools. I am currently 14 years old. I’m a part of an organization called Youth Action for Health Leadership or YAHL. I joined YAHL to try something new. When I joined, I was hoping to gain leadership skills, better public speaking skills and earn scholarships. […]

READ MORE

Working Hard to Make a Difference by Essence Felder

Hello, I’m Essence Felder. I currently live in OKC, Oklahoma, and I’m 16. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL’s main goal is to better youth’s lives as a whole, be it through CounterAct Tobacco or Elevate Student Health. I decided to join because I loved that YAHL is not only pointing out […]

READ MORE

Why I Joined YAHL by Deiondra Howard

I am Deiondra Howard. I’m from Coalgate, Oklahoma, and I’m currently 16 years old. I chose to join YAHL because I want to improve my community. As a teen in high school, I am exposed to a lot of vaping on a daily basis. I think that YAHL can help to improve the problem of […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference in Coalgate, Oklahoma by Brecken Hunt

Hello everyone, my name is Brecken. I live in Atoka, but I go to school in Coalgate, and I am 16. I work with a student-led organization called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. I joined for two reasons. First, I wanted to have a bit of fun, and second, I wanted […]

READ MORE

YAHL Impacts My Community for the Better by Carina Chen

Hello, my name is Carina Chen. I am fourteen years old, I am from Oklahoma and last, but definitely not least, I am a member of the leadership team at YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health and Leadership, and they are a health activist group working towards two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate […]

READ MORE

What I Learned about the CounterAct Tobacco Campaign

By Natiya Ellison

My name is Natiya Ellison, and I go to Southeast high school. I am in the 9th grade. This is my first year with the YAHL program. I will be talking about the CounterAct Tobacco campaign and the policies that affect youth.

The YAHL staff educated us about tobacco policies during our training. We learned that minors get in more trouble if they buy tobacco products from stores, and if they get caught, the store just gets charged a fine. Learning this highlighted for me why the policies are very important. I believe this also isn’t right because people are dying from this. Cigarettes are one of the most dangerous tobacco products. Tobacco can cause cancer and so much more. Some Oklahomans are ok with this because they probably do not know this is happening.

The CounterAct Tobacco Campaign works on helping youth stop and prevents others from using Tobacco and vaping products. I think this will stop others and help them make better choices. I know joining the YAHL program helps you realize that it’s terrible for your body when you smoke or vape, such as your lungs, heart, etc. My part in the program is to help by educating people about YAHL, collecting surveys, and teaching my peers how we are purposely targeted with ads and products. I am willing to help them stop before it’s too late. You never know if your family members could be next.

The CounterAct Tobacco campaign helps people understand the effects of using Tobacco. The tobacco industry tries to get young children to smoke to make a profit off of youth by getting them interested in smoking at an early age. They do this every year because the people are dying from Tobacco, so they target new people in new ways. They don’t care about your health. They care about your money.

Making an Impact with YAHL by Addison Null-Kelly

My passion for YAHL first started at the Leadership Summit in 2023. I was very nervous to be away from anyone I knew but quickly made close friendships that still follow me. Participating in activities around the city and being split into different groups each day forced me to make new friends, which helped with my social anxiety. I really enjoyed going to sessions and learning what YAHL was all about and why all of my peers were as passionate as I am.

READ MORE

Teens Making a Difference with YAHL by Mia Vizueth

I’m Mia Vizueth, and I’m a junior at Stilwell High School. For the past two years, I’ve been part of an amazing program called YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL brings together students from all over Oklahoma who are just as fired up about making a difference as I am. It’s […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Shaped My High School Experience by Katherine Jones

Hi, my name is Katherine Jones, and I’m a senior at Westville High School. For the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of being part of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), and this year marks my third on the Leadership Team. YAHL has been an experience that has shaped not just my high […]

READ MORE

Changing My School in Oktaha for the Better by Olivia Shackelford

My name is Olivia, but everyone calls me Livy. I’m from Oktaha, Oklahoma. If you don’t know where that is, it’s near Muskogee. I’m a member of YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) and am honored to be on the leadership team. I feel really lucky to have such a great youth field organizer, Hannah […]

READ MORE

Empowering Future Leaders: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership by My Nguyen

My name is My, and I am a member of the YAHL Leadership Team. I aim to promote the power of leadership among current YAHL members and future YAHL Leadership Team members. YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, is a youth-led organization dedicated to enhancing youth health through campaigns such as CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference: My Journey with YAHL and Health Advocacy in High School

by Brayden Duncan Hey, everyone! I’m Brayden Duncan, and I’m about to start my Junior year at Howe High School. I’ve been involved in YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) for about a year now, and it’s been awesome. YAHL has two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. Let’s dive into what CounterAct Tobacco […]

READ MORE

Making My Community Better Through YAHL by Aaliyah Larson

My name is Aaliyah Larson, and I’m currently a sophomore attending Stilwell High School. I joined YAHL in 2022, marking my first year on the YAHL Leadership Team. Being on the Leadership Team has provided an invaluable opportunity, enabling me to make new connections, practice my public speaking skills and make positive changes within my […]

READ MORE

Advocating for Health: My YAHL Journey by Frankie Linker

My name is Frankie. I’m 16 years old and getting ready for my junior year of high school. I wanted to share my experience with an amazing program called Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). When I first learned about YAHL, I was intrigued. It offered a chance to truly make a difference in my […]

READ MORE

Empowering Change: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) by Lacey Laymon

I am Lacey Laymon, a senior at Keys High School, and I have been a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) for two years. Currently, I serve on the state leadership team. YAHL actively engages in two youth-led campaigns: Elevate Student Health, which focuses on maintaining the health of our schools, and CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Change in My Community by Kaydence Townsend

My name is Kaydence, and I attend Purcell High School. I first heard about Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) from Aisha – one of the YAHL staff – in my class during school. To become a member of YAHL, I had to go to the training for YAHL members in the fall where we […]

READ MORE

Gaining Confidence as a Member of Youth Action for Health Leadership by Miguel Ramirez

My name is Miguel, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools and a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). I have worked with other YAHL members on different campaign opportunities. I started getting involved in YAHL by going to the YAHL training at my school in the fall. At the training […]

READ MORE

My Voice Matters in YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

My name is Mayra Amezcua, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools. YAHL stands for YouthAction for Health Leadership. YAHL has two campaigns – CounterAct Tobacco and ElevateStudent Health. CounterAct Tobacco is trying to reduce underage tobacco use while ElevateStudent Health is trying to increase access to healthy food and drinks and physical […]

READ MORE

Showing my School the Dangers of Teen Tobacco Use with YAHL

My name is Brayden Duncan, and I’m going to be a junior at Howe High School. I have been in YAHL for about a year. YAHL has two campaigns named Counteract Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. My first YAHL event was our fall festival, where we were able to collect a lot of surveys for […]

READ MORE

How YAHL’s Campaigns Showed Me a New Perspective on Oklahoma Health Disparities

My name is Carina Chen. I am a junior at Classen SAS @NE High School and a member of the leadership team at Youth Action for Health and Leadership (YAHL). I first heard about YAHL in my biomedical class from my Youth Field Organizer (YAHL supervisor), Beverly. During the training, Beverly educated me and many […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Leadership Team Prepared Me to Make Change by Payton Bounds

My name is Payton Bounds; I am a senior at Purcell High School. I have worked with many students who are a part of YAHL and on the leadership team. At the YAHL summit, we all gather from across Oklahoma for a few days to learn more about leadership. I originally joined YAHL for the […]

READ MORE

My Experience with YAHL by Emma Teague

I am Emma Teague, and I am going to be a senior at Keys High School. This year is my first year being on the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) leadership team. My first experience with YAHL was at the training hosted at my high school. Later that year, I participated in YAHL Swap […]

READ MORE

Why Health Activism is Important to Me by Lillian Dallis

My name is Lillian. I am 15, and I’m from Park Hill, Tahlequah. YAHL is a program that talks about unhealthy ways and habits that can affect your life. You may learn new things, meet new people and make new friends along the way! We talk about how to better Oklahoma for kids, teens and […]

READ MORE

Sparking Change for this Generation and the Next by Braden Mensack

My name is Braden Mensack. I am a senior from Keys High School and have beenadvocating through the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) program for almost twoyears. YAHL is a youth-led advocacy organization focused on improving the health andwell-being of youth in the state of Oklahoma. I decided that I needed to join the […]

READ MORE

Passing Policies to Protect Youth by Aaron Roy

Hello, my name is Aaron Roy, and I’m 15 and from Duncan OK. I work with the youth program called YAHL which is an acronym for Youth Action for Health Leadership. We try to raise health standards for youth all over Oklahoma. I joined YAHL to become a better version of myself. I’m glad that […]

READ MORE

My Goal? Stopping Big Tobacco! by Rhianna Dumas

My name is Rhianna Dumas, and I’m 14. I was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and stayed there until I was 7; now I live in Oklahoma City. This past year I joined a program called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, and we work with TSET to get better health choices at […]

READ MORE

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless by My Nguyen

Hello, my name is My Nguyen, I am 15, and I live in Oklahoma City. I’m a member of YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. In YAHL, we work on two youth-led campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. I joined YAHL because it is a really good way to help my […]

READ MORE

My Journey with YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

Hi, my name is Mayra, and I’m from Howe Public Schools. I am currently 14 years old. I’m a part of an organization called Youth Action for Health Leadership or YAHL. I joined YAHL to try something new. When I joined, I was hoping to gain leadership skills, better public speaking skills and earn scholarships. […]

READ MORE

Working Hard to Make a Difference by Essence Felder

Hello, I’m Essence Felder. I currently live in OKC, Oklahoma, and I’m 16. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL’s main goal is to better youth’s lives as a whole, be it through CounterAct Tobacco or Elevate Student Health. I decided to join because I loved that YAHL is not only pointing out […]

READ MORE

Why I Joined YAHL by Deiondra Howard

I am Deiondra Howard. I’m from Coalgate, Oklahoma, and I’m currently 16 years old. I chose to join YAHL because I want to improve my community. As a teen in high school, I am exposed to a lot of vaping on a daily basis. I think that YAHL can help to improve the problem of […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference in Coalgate, Oklahoma by Brecken Hunt

Hello everyone, my name is Brecken. I live in Atoka, but I go to school in Coalgate, and I am 16. I work with a student-led organization called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. I joined for two reasons. First, I wanted to have a bit of fun, and second, I wanted […]

READ MORE

YAHL Impacts My Community for the Better by Carina Chen

Hello, my name is Carina Chen. I am fourteen years old, I am from Oklahoma and last, but definitely not least, I am a member of the leadership team at YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health and Leadership, and they are a health activist group working towards two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate […]

READ MORE

The Damages of Tobacco

Hello, my name is Grace Burton. I live in Stilwell, Oklahoma, and I am a junior at Stilwell High School. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL is a program that promotes a tobacco-free, healthy lifestyle by promoting comprehensive retail licensing for vapes & strengthening school wellness policies. What I hope to get out of YAHL are opportunities for leadership and to promote a tobacco-free lifestyle for youth around me. Kids my age are getting addicted to using nicotine way too young. Vapes and alcohol are very popular with today’s youth. I believe YAHL can help the growing problem of substance addiction. 

Why is vaping unhealthy? Vapes contain nicotine and other potentially harmful ingredients such as ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. This is dangerous because vaping can lead to higher risks of getting lung disease and lung cancer. Kids experiencing anxiety from school, or toxic home life situations, are most likely to be exposed to these products. YAHL can help because there are opportunities to reach these young children and get the word out that vaping is becoming a problem with these young children. Young children may not listen to adults but tend to look up to older teens, like myself, who this program is led by. Community members can help by supporting the policies the YAHL program is trying to promote.

Alcohol is toxic for youth in many ways. People under the age of 21 have brains that are not fully developed, which can lead to alcoholism. Some of the following are risks that come with alcohol addiction are: High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, & digestive problems. Teens with family members who are addicted to alcohol are more at risk than others to use alcohol. YAHL can help this issue by reaching these children on social media by showing them how to live healthy and why it is important. Community members can help by supporting the policies that YAHL are trying to promote.

I am passionate about trying to get youth tobacco-free. As a YAHL member it is our duty to help these kids who got addicted way too young. You can learn more by following YAHL on Instagram @yahloklahoma, or by checking out the website at www.yahlok.org.

Making an Impact with YAHL by Addison Null-Kelly

My passion for YAHL first started at the Leadership Summit in 2023. I was very nervous to be away from anyone I knew but quickly made close friendships that still follow me. Participating in activities around the city and being split into different groups each day forced me to make new friends, which helped with my social anxiety. I really enjoyed going to sessions and learning what YAHL was all about and why all of my peers were as passionate as I am.

READ MORE

Teens Making a Difference with YAHL by Mia Vizueth

I’m Mia Vizueth, and I’m a junior at Stilwell High School. For the past two years, I’ve been part of an amazing program called YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL brings together students from all over Oklahoma who are just as fired up about making a difference as I am. It’s […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Shaped My High School Experience by Katherine Jones

Hi, my name is Katherine Jones, and I’m a senior at Westville High School. For the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of being part of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), and this year marks my third on the Leadership Team. YAHL has been an experience that has shaped not just my high […]

READ MORE

Changing My School in Oktaha for the Better by Olivia Shackelford

My name is Olivia, but everyone calls me Livy. I’m from Oktaha, Oklahoma. If you don’t know where that is, it’s near Muskogee. I’m a member of YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) and am honored to be on the leadership team. I feel really lucky to have such a great youth field organizer, Hannah […]

READ MORE

Empowering Future Leaders: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership by My Nguyen

My name is My, and I am a member of the YAHL Leadership Team. I aim to promote the power of leadership among current YAHL members and future YAHL Leadership Team members. YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, is a youth-led organization dedicated to enhancing youth health through campaigns such as CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference: My Journey with YAHL and Health Advocacy in High School

by Brayden Duncan Hey, everyone! I’m Brayden Duncan, and I’m about to start my Junior year at Howe High School. I’ve been involved in YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) for about a year now, and it’s been awesome. YAHL has two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. Let’s dive into what CounterAct Tobacco […]

READ MORE

Making My Community Better Through YAHL by Aaliyah Larson

My name is Aaliyah Larson, and I’m currently a sophomore attending Stilwell High School. I joined YAHL in 2022, marking my first year on the YAHL Leadership Team. Being on the Leadership Team has provided an invaluable opportunity, enabling me to make new connections, practice my public speaking skills and make positive changes within my […]

READ MORE

Advocating for Health: My YAHL Journey by Frankie Linker

My name is Frankie. I’m 16 years old and getting ready for my junior year of high school. I wanted to share my experience with an amazing program called Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). When I first learned about YAHL, I was intrigued. It offered a chance to truly make a difference in my […]

READ MORE

Empowering Change: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) by Lacey Laymon

I am Lacey Laymon, a senior at Keys High School, and I have been a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) for two years. Currently, I serve on the state leadership team. YAHL actively engages in two youth-led campaigns: Elevate Student Health, which focuses on maintaining the health of our schools, and CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Change in My Community by Kaydence Townsend

My name is Kaydence, and I attend Purcell High School. I first heard about Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) from Aisha – one of the YAHL staff – in my class during school. To become a member of YAHL, I had to go to the training for YAHL members in the fall where we […]

READ MORE

Gaining Confidence as a Member of Youth Action for Health Leadership by Miguel Ramirez

My name is Miguel, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools and a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). I have worked with other YAHL members on different campaign opportunities. I started getting involved in YAHL by going to the YAHL training at my school in the fall. At the training […]

READ MORE

My Voice Matters in YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

My name is Mayra Amezcua, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools. YAHL stands for YouthAction for Health Leadership. YAHL has two campaigns – CounterAct Tobacco and ElevateStudent Health. CounterAct Tobacco is trying to reduce underage tobacco use while ElevateStudent Health is trying to increase access to healthy food and drinks and physical […]

READ MORE

Showing my School the Dangers of Teen Tobacco Use with YAHL

My name is Brayden Duncan, and I’m going to be a junior at Howe High School. I have been in YAHL for about a year. YAHL has two campaigns named Counteract Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. My first YAHL event was our fall festival, where we were able to collect a lot of surveys for […]

READ MORE

How YAHL’s Campaigns Showed Me a New Perspective on Oklahoma Health Disparities

My name is Carina Chen. I am a junior at Classen SAS @NE High School and a member of the leadership team at Youth Action for Health and Leadership (YAHL). I first heard about YAHL in my biomedical class from my Youth Field Organizer (YAHL supervisor), Beverly. During the training, Beverly educated me and many […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Leadership Team Prepared Me to Make Change by Payton Bounds

My name is Payton Bounds; I am a senior at Purcell High School. I have worked with many students who are a part of YAHL and on the leadership team. At the YAHL summit, we all gather from across Oklahoma for a few days to learn more about leadership. I originally joined YAHL for the […]

READ MORE

My Experience with YAHL by Emma Teague

I am Emma Teague, and I am going to be a senior at Keys High School. This year is my first year being on the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) leadership team. My first experience with YAHL was at the training hosted at my high school. Later that year, I participated in YAHL Swap […]

READ MORE

Why Health Activism is Important to Me by Lillian Dallis

My name is Lillian. I am 15, and I’m from Park Hill, Tahlequah. YAHL is a program that talks about unhealthy ways and habits that can affect your life. You may learn new things, meet new people and make new friends along the way! We talk about how to better Oklahoma for kids, teens and […]

READ MORE

Sparking Change for this Generation and the Next by Braden Mensack

My name is Braden Mensack. I am a senior from Keys High School and have beenadvocating through the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) program for almost twoyears. YAHL is a youth-led advocacy organization focused on improving the health andwell-being of youth in the state of Oklahoma. I decided that I needed to join the […]

READ MORE

Passing Policies to Protect Youth by Aaron Roy

Hello, my name is Aaron Roy, and I’m 15 and from Duncan OK. I work with the youth program called YAHL which is an acronym for Youth Action for Health Leadership. We try to raise health standards for youth all over Oklahoma. I joined YAHL to become a better version of myself. I’m glad that […]

READ MORE

My Goal? Stopping Big Tobacco! by Rhianna Dumas

My name is Rhianna Dumas, and I’m 14. I was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and stayed there until I was 7; now I live in Oklahoma City. This past year I joined a program called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, and we work with TSET to get better health choices at […]

READ MORE

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless by My Nguyen

Hello, my name is My Nguyen, I am 15, and I live in Oklahoma City. I’m a member of YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. In YAHL, we work on two youth-led campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. I joined YAHL because it is a really good way to help my […]

READ MORE

My Journey with YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

Hi, my name is Mayra, and I’m from Howe Public Schools. I am currently 14 years old. I’m a part of an organization called Youth Action for Health Leadership or YAHL. I joined YAHL to try something new. When I joined, I was hoping to gain leadership skills, better public speaking skills and earn scholarships. […]

READ MORE

Working Hard to Make a Difference by Essence Felder

Hello, I’m Essence Felder. I currently live in OKC, Oklahoma, and I’m 16. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL’s main goal is to better youth’s lives as a whole, be it through CounterAct Tobacco or Elevate Student Health. I decided to join because I loved that YAHL is not only pointing out […]

READ MORE

Why I Joined YAHL by Deiondra Howard

I am Deiondra Howard. I’m from Coalgate, Oklahoma, and I’m currently 16 years old. I chose to join YAHL because I want to improve my community. As a teen in high school, I am exposed to a lot of vaping on a daily basis. I think that YAHL can help to improve the problem of […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference in Coalgate, Oklahoma by Brecken Hunt

Hello everyone, my name is Brecken. I live in Atoka, but I go to school in Coalgate, and I am 16. I work with a student-led organization called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. I joined for two reasons. First, I wanted to have a bit of fun, and second, I wanted […]

READ MORE

YAHL Impacts My Community for the Better by Carina Chen

Hello, my name is Carina Chen. I am fourteen years old, I am from Oklahoma and last, but definitely not least, I am a member of the leadership team at YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health and Leadership, and they are a health activist group working towards two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate […]

READ MORE

Checotah High School Sophomore Keeps Active with YAHL

My name is Aiyana Brewer. I will be a 2025 graduate from Checotah High School. Like my school experience, this is my first year with YAHL. As you may know, YAHL is a Program of TSET for Health Leadership.

Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) helps communities and teens live a healthier lifestyle such as physical activities, drinking water, and eating healthier foods. Physical activity impacts my life because I play sports such as basketball, track, and cross country. Along with sports I have to eat healthy to stay in shape. Being healthy and active is very important to me. My family and I all believe being healthy mentally and physically is the number one thing. 

At school, nutrition is important. At lunch it’s required to get a fruit and they recommend drinking a lot of water. We also have a courtyard for the people at lunch to be active. My school has after school programs that help people stay active and healthy. Although the school does have its flaws such as vending machines, junk food, and celebrations. Personally I think it’s okay to have these things but i feel we don’t need as much as we have. With YAHL and the Elevate Student Health policy it could help students be healthier.

With YAHL I have helped my school stay healthy by doing things such as, helping in our Winter Wonderland event, taking surveys, helping others take surveys, and spreading the word about YAHL. Things that I have learned with YAHL are that students actually want to live healthier lives. By changing the current health policies in Oklahoma, we can help students stay healthy!

Written by: Aiyana Brewer

Making an Impact with YAHL by Addison Null-Kelly

My passion for YAHL first started at the Leadership Summit in 2023. I was very nervous to be away from anyone I knew but quickly made close friendships that still follow me. Participating in activities around the city and being split into different groups each day forced me to make new friends, which helped with my social anxiety. I really enjoyed going to sessions and learning what YAHL was all about and why all of my peers were as passionate as I am.

READ MORE

Teens Making a Difference with YAHL by Mia Vizueth

I’m Mia Vizueth, and I’m a junior at Stilwell High School. For the past two years, I’ve been part of an amazing program called YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL brings together students from all over Oklahoma who are just as fired up about making a difference as I am. It’s […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Shaped My High School Experience by Katherine Jones

Hi, my name is Katherine Jones, and I’m a senior at Westville High School. For the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of being part of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), and this year marks my third on the Leadership Team. YAHL has been an experience that has shaped not just my high […]

READ MORE

Changing My School in Oktaha for the Better by Olivia Shackelford

My name is Olivia, but everyone calls me Livy. I’m from Oktaha, Oklahoma. If you don’t know where that is, it’s near Muskogee. I’m a member of YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) and am honored to be on the leadership team. I feel really lucky to have such a great youth field organizer, Hannah […]

READ MORE

Empowering Future Leaders: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership by My Nguyen

My name is My, and I am a member of the YAHL Leadership Team. I aim to promote the power of leadership among current YAHL members and future YAHL Leadership Team members. YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, is a youth-led organization dedicated to enhancing youth health through campaigns such as CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference: My Journey with YAHL and Health Advocacy in High School

by Brayden Duncan Hey, everyone! I’m Brayden Duncan, and I’m about to start my Junior year at Howe High School. I’ve been involved in YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership) for about a year now, and it’s been awesome. YAHL has two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. Let’s dive into what CounterAct Tobacco […]

READ MORE

Making My Community Better Through YAHL by Aaliyah Larson

My name is Aaliyah Larson, and I’m currently a sophomore attending Stilwell High School. I joined YAHL in 2022, marking my first year on the YAHL Leadership Team. Being on the Leadership Team has provided an invaluable opportunity, enabling me to make new connections, practice my public speaking skills and make positive changes within my […]

READ MORE

Advocating for Health: My YAHL Journey by Frankie Linker

My name is Frankie. I’m 16 years old and getting ready for my junior year of high school. I wanted to share my experience with an amazing program called Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). When I first learned about YAHL, I was intrigued. It offered a chance to truly make a difference in my […]

READ MORE

Empowering Change: My Journey with Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) by Lacey Laymon

I am Lacey Laymon, a senior at Keys High School, and I have been a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) for two years. Currently, I serve on the state leadership team. YAHL actively engages in two youth-led campaigns: Elevate Student Health, which focuses on maintaining the health of our schools, and CounterAct […]

READ MORE

Making a Change in My Community by Kaydence Townsend

My name is Kaydence, and I attend Purcell High School. I first heard about Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) from Aisha – one of the YAHL staff – in my class during school. To become a member of YAHL, I had to go to the training for YAHL members in the fall where we […]

READ MORE

Gaining Confidence as a Member of Youth Action for Health Leadership by Miguel Ramirez

My name is Miguel, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools and a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). I have worked with other YAHL members on different campaign opportunities. I started getting involved in YAHL by going to the YAHL training at my school in the fall. At the training […]

READ MORE

My Voice Matters in YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

My name is Mayra Amezcua, and I am a junior at Howe Public Schools. YAHL stands for YouthAction for Health Leadership. YAHL has two campaigns – CounterAct Tobacco and ElevateStudent Health. CounterAct Tobacco is trying to reduce underage tobacco use while ElevateStudent Health is trying to increase access to healthy food and drinks and physical […]

READ MORE

Showing my School the Dangers of Teen Tobacco Use with YAHL

My name is Brayden Duncan, and I’m going to be a junior at Howe High School. I have been in YAHL for about a year. YAHL has two campaigns named Counteract Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. My first YAHL event was our fall festival, where we were able to collect a lot of surveys for […]

READ MORE

How YAHL’s Campaigns Showed Me a New Perspective on Oklahoma Health Disparities

My name is Carina Chen. I am a junior at Classen SAS @NE High School and a member of the leadership team at Youth Action for Health and Leadership (YAHL). I first heard about YAHL in my biomedical class from my Youth Field Organizer (YAHL supervisor), Beverly. During the training, Beverly educated me and many […]

READ MORE

How YAHL Leadership Team Prepared Me to Make Change by Payton Bounds

My name is Payton Bounds; I am a senior at Purcell High School. I have worked with many students who are a part of YAHL and on the leadership team. At the YAHL summit, we all gather from across Oklahoma for a few days to learn more about leadership. I originally joined YAHL for the […]

READ MORE

My Experience with YAHL by Emma Teague

I am Emma Teague, and I am going to be a senior at Keys High School. This year is my first year being on the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) leadership team. My first experience with YAHL was at the training hosted at my high school. Later that year, I participated in YAHL Swap […]

READ MORE

Why Health Activism is Important to Me by Lillian Dallis

My name is Lillian. I am 15, and I’m from Park Hill, Tahlequah. YAHL is a program that talks about unhealthy ways and habits that can affect your life. You may learn new things, meet new people and make new friends along the way! We talk about how to better Oklahoma for kids, teens and […]

READ MORE

Sparking Change for this Generation and the Next by Braden Mensack

My name is Braden Mensack. I am a senior from Keys High School and have beenadvocating through the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) program for almost twoyears. YAHL is a youth-led advocacy organization focused on improving the health andwell-being of youth in the state of Oklahoma. I decided that I needed to join the […]

READ MORE

Passing Policies to Protect Youth by Aaron Roy

Hello, my name is Aaron Roy, and I’m 15 and from Duncan OK. I work with the youth program called YAHL which is an acronym for Youth Action for Health Leadership. We try to raise health standards for youth all over Oklahoma. I joined YAHL to become a better version of myself. I’m glad that […]

READ MORE

My Goal? Stopping Big Tobacco! by Rhianna Dumas

My name is Rhianna Dumas, and I’m 14. I was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and stayed there until I was 7; now I live in Oklahoma City. This past year I joined a program called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, and we work with TSET to get better health choices at […]

READ MORE

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless by My Nguyen

Hello, my name is My Nguyen, I am 15, and I live in Oklahoma City. I’m a member of YAHL, which stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. In YAHL, we work on two youth-led campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. I joined YAHL because it is a really good way to help my […]

READ MORE

My Journey with YAHL by Mayra Amezcua

Hi, my name is Mayra, and I’m from Howe Public Schools. I am currently 14 years old. I’m a part of an organization called Youth Action for Health Leadership or YAHL. I joined YAHL to try something new. When I joined, I was hoping to gain leadership skills, better public speaking skills and earn scholarships. […]

READ MORE

Working Hard to Make a Difference by Essence Felder

Hello, I’m Essence Felder. I currently live in OKC, Oklahoma, and I’m 16. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. YAHL’s main goal is to better youth’s lives as a whole, be it through CounterAct Tobacco or Elevate Student Health. I decided to join because I loved that YAHL is not only pointing out […]

READ MORE

Why I Joined YAHL by Deiondra Howard

I am Deiondra Howard. I’m from Coalgate, Oklahoma, and I’m currently 16 years old. I chose to join YAHL because I want to improve my community. As a teen in high school, I am exposed to a lot of vaping on a daily basis. I think that YAHL can help to improve the problem of […]

READ MORE

Making a Difference in Coalgate, Oklahoma by Brecken Hunt

Hello everyone, my name is Brecken. I live in Atoka, but I go to school in Coalgate, and I am 16. I work with a student-led organization called YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. I joined for two reasons. First, I wanted to have a bit of fun, and second, I wanted […]

READ MORE

YAHL Impacts My Community for the Better by Carina Chen

Hello, my name is Carina Chen. I am fourteen years old, I am from Oklahoma and last, but definitely not least, I am a member of the leadership team at YAHL. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health and Leadership, and they are a health activist group working towards two campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate […]

READ MORE