Pathways Youth Coalition

About Us

Pathways Youth Coalition is a subcommittee of the Pathways to a Healthier You Coalition. This coalition is inspired, driven, and led by youth in Stephens and Jefferson Counties. Its mission is to empower youth with the tools to develop strategies aimed to reduce and prevent substance abuse among youth.

Our Community-Based Efforts

Current Efforts:

Our Coalition’s current goal is to decrease vaping in high school by 5% by the end of the 2022 school year.
Our overarching goal is to reduce substance abuse among youth and provide the community with prevention education and awareness.
Our members work meet every week, taking action to reach their goals.

Short Term Goals/Projects in Progress:

Presenting to the City Council for support to modifying alley loitering city ordinance policy to include community service and fines for kids caught in alleyways vaping, smoking, and drinking.
Modifying school policies to include tier levels of consequences for student offenders caught vaping, smoking, and drinking on our around school property during school hours to include vape education classes.
Educating peers on the dangers of vaping nicotine and other substances.
Visiting elementary schools to speak about prevention.
Bring awareness during Red Ribbon Week, Drug awareness month, and other themed days.

Future Projects:

Speaking to Civic, youth, churches, and other groups to bring awareness of the challenges in the County.
Fundraising to help with sustainability for the coalition.

Accomplishments

Coalition members participated in 2M2L training with law enforcement and conducted Alcohol Compliance Checks with the Alcohol Laws Beverage Law Enforcement Commission (ABLE).
Filmed the first Social Host commercial that aired on local stations.
Members presented drug-free awareness speech at the local Town Hall meeting hosted by Pathways to a Healthier Stephen's County Coalition.
Coalition members attended the first Leadership Camp to enhance leadership skills, develop coalition strategies and teambuilding skills.
Attended lunch with Oklahoma's First Lady Laura Stitt at Duncan's Country Club to discuss strategies to reduce substance use among youth.
Met with Duncan City Planner Nate Schact to discuss drug concerns in and near schools and the community. As a result, the City Manager agreed to monitor the alley near Duncan High School during school hours.
Working on City Ordinance to prevent loitering in alleys near schools with an intent to abuse substances.
Participated in Red Ribbon Week activities.

Membership

Our meetings are open to the youth in Stephens and Jefferson Counties. We meet every Thursday from 11:45-12:45 p.m. at Duncan High School Campus Library at 515 N. 19th Street, Duncan, Oklahoma 73534. Free pizza and drinks are served at every meeting. If you would like more information about this coalition or our meetings, please email us using the form below.