MEDIA RELEASE

The Hawaii Meth Project has announced its inaugural Teen Advisory Council, formed to promote and facilitate peer outreach. Members of the Teen Advisory Council are playing a key role in the Hawaii Meth Project’s community action plan by encouraging teen volunteerism and identifying peer outreach opportunities at school and in the community to raise awareness about the dangers and risks of methamphetamine use.

“I am excited to be part of the Hawaii Meth Project’s Teen Advisory Council because of the difference I’m making for my friends, classmates, and other teens,” said Kelci Quinabo, Teen Council Member and senior at Moanalua High School. “Students have distributed ‘Not Even Once’ wrist bands, we’ve put up Hawaii Meth Project posters around school, and we are getting the message out to everyone. We want to keep crystal meth out of our school and community.”

The Teen Advisory Council is comprised of nine high school students representing public and private schools in all four counties across the state.

“We are thrilled to have such an enthusiastic and dedicated group of teens champion our message in their schools and communities,” said Cindy Adams, Hawaii Meth Project executive director.

Teen Advisory Council members are involved in a wide variety of outreach activities which include recruiting teen volunteers to staff the Hawaii Meth Project booth at community events, initiating events at their own schools, as well as interacting with their peers via Facebook and other social media efforts.

Other initiatives by Teen Advisory Council members include getting Hawaii Meth Project print ads in school newspapers, organizing fundraisers, partnering with other school groups to organize “Not Even Once” activities, and holding school assemblies to talk about the dangers of Meth use.

Applications for the Council were sent to peer education teachers and activities counselors across the state.

Members of the 2010-2011 Teen Advisory Council are:

* Maya Caldwell, Punahou School, Honolulu County
* Kelsie Ferguson, Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu County
* Janel Jabilona, Waiakea High School, Hawaii County
* Koa Lagapa, Kauai High School, Kauai County
* Gabrielle Menendez, Hawaii Preparatory Academy, Hawaii County
* Grace Nikaido, Farrington High School, Honolulu County
* Kelci Quinabo, Moanalua High School, Honolulu County
* Catherine Stuck, Lanai High and Elementary School, Maui County
* Mathew Patao Torres, Baldwin High School, Maui County

Teens interested in applying for the 2011-2012 Teen Advisory Council should contact the Hawaii Meth Project Program Manager, Jennifer Phakoom at (808) 529-6254 or jphakoom@hawaiimethproject.org

The Hawaii Meth Project is a non-profit organization that implements a range of advertising and community action programs to reduce methamphetamine use in the state.

Launched in June 2009, the Hawaii Meth Project leverages a proven model that combines extensive research with a hard-hitting, integrated media campaign.

The Hawaii Meth Project is affiliated with the Meth Project, a national non-profit organization headquartered in Palo Alto, California, aimed at significantly reducing meth use through public service messaging, public policy, and community outreach.

For more information, visit www.hawaiimethproject.org