pride of bethel park
safe and drug-free youth
since 1992
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CONFERENCE 2008 - COURAGE TO STAND |
PRIDE of Bethel Park just returned from the 31st Annual World Drug Prevention Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. The entire Bethel Park team, nineteen members strong, and four adult advisors attended. The four advisors and the five freshmen who attended are new to PRIDE so they got to experience the PRIDE magic their friends and families have been telling them about. Over 2000 people attended the four day convention whose theme was Courage to Stand. To see that many young adults so excited and committing to a stand up for a drug free lifestyle was truly an unforgettable experience.
The team members and advisors heard motivational speakers, attended workshops centered on the four pillars of PRIDE - drug education, community service, community outreach and drug free activities. The team has returned home invigorated and full of new ideas they want to share with their team and community. The team also presented two original skits to the convention attendees. The first was Choose ‘em or Lose ‘em. This skit showed how when you choose the right hands in life you can choose to lead a healthy and drug free lifestyle. The other skit was entitled Hero. This skit showed how your actions and words can affect the lives of others – friends, siblings, so you want to choose the correct path.
PRIDE of Bethel Park also won two national awards. Jessa Koch, a senior at BPHS and one of the co-presidents of our PRIDE team, won one of the four Youth of the Year Awards. The Youth of the Year Award is presented to youths who have demonstrated unconditional support and loyalty to their PRIDE team and the four pillars of PRIDE. They have dedicated themselves to leading a safe, healthy, and drug free life, while helping others to do the same by taking an active role on their team and in the community. Jessa has proved this through her four years participating in the Bethel Park team. The PRIDE website, www.prideofbp.org, won First Place. Sean Walsh is the webmaster and has added new aspects to the website during this year. The team was also one of the five teams nominated for PRIDE Team of the Year. This is the second year in a row they have received this nomination. PRIDE of Bethel Park was represented on the national dance team by current member Amy Banner. We were also represented on the national training team by PRIDE of Bethel Park alumni Joey Scarillo and Michelle Gilmore.
Click on the links to see our skits. (You need QuickTime to run the videos; Please excuse the long load time)