MADD Teen Influencer
June 2023
Summertime with MADD! 2
By Ben Haworth, MADD Teen Influencer
Summer is finally here. Now that school is out, we all have to choose how to make the most of our free time. Although it might not seem like the summer break you’d been planning, spending time volunteering with local organizations in your community can fulfill you in ways you never imagined. I began volunteering as a MADD Teen Influencer the summer before my freshman year of high school, when I was first introduced to the MADD Teen Influencer Institute as a participant. At the time, I had no idea the positive impact being a MADD Teen Influencer would have on my life and the many ways it would prepare me for my future. The MADD Teen Influencer Institute is an intensive 5-week program designed to train and develop peer-to-peer educators. After completing the institute, graduates are prepared to represent MADD on a
local and national level and provide the youth perspective for underage drinking prevention programming as MADD Teen Influencers. The Institute has been held every year during the summer since 2021. The program is meant to combat various safety concerns related to traffic and alcohol, with youth voices being the front and center. Last year, I contributed to the program as a presenter, but, the first year, I was just a participant. As a participant, I learned about MADD and its mission. I also learned about education through the power of the community along with the Power of Youth initiative. Throughout the five weeks, we were given the opportunity to learn everything from alcohol and traffic safety, to social media
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