"My Life. My Health. My Decision."

- 2014 Healthy Youth Summit theme

Holly Springs (GA) – Cherokee Youth Council members James Lindsey, Jasmine Lewis and Caleb Ductant recently attended the 2014 Healthy Youth Summit with adult leader Kirby Lewis-Hobba to launch a tobacco-free environment partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH) North Georgia Health District 1-2.

Sponsored by DPH’s Chronic Disease Prevention Section and Georgia SHAPE, the Governor’s initiative to increase physical activity in Georgia schools, the 2014 Healthy Youth Summit was attended by over 130 teenagers on October 24 through 26 at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

 At the summit, teens and adult leaders learned how to encourage the implementation of established policies as well as campaign for system and environmental changes related to tobacco prevention, smart eating, active living and overall healthy behaviors and decisions. To learn more about the purpose and impact of the 2014 Healthy Youth Summit, log onto http://bit.ly/dphyouthsummit2014.

Concerned that over 11,500 Georgians will die this year due to tobacco usage and 240,000 children today in Georgia will eventually die from tobacco-related illness, the Cherokee Youth Council, part of Cherokee FOCUS, is partnering with the health district to promote tobacco-use cessation in the county and to advocate against the hazardous health effects of secondhand smoke.

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Cherokee Youth Council: Under the auspices of Cherokee FOCUS, the Cherokee Youth Council provides youth from different communities, backgrounds, religions, ethnicities and economic levels an opportunity to work together and seek positive change for Cherokee County. For more information about the Cherokee Youth Council, log onto http://cherokeefocus.org/youthconnection/youthcouncil.php.

Cherokee FOCUS: Cherokee FOCUS is a 501(c)3 collaborative that exists to improve the lives of the children and families of Cherokee County. The collaborative is a partnership of organizations, agencies civic clubs, the faith based community, law enforcement, business, education, families and individuals. These partners bring their skills, expertise and resources to the table to create and develop programs and initiatives designed to support families and children through a means that could not be accomplished by one agency or individual alone. For more information about Cherokee FOCUS, log onto http://cherokeefocus.org/.