Year in Review 2018: Healthy Youth Coalition

By Jesse Creydt, co-founder

Being a teenager has never been easy, but today’s youth face challenges never before contemplated. Reviewing a state report, a group of concerned Blaine and Birch Bay people found the suicide thought rate was 5 percentage points higher than the state rate among local eighth graders. The Washington State Healthy Youth Survey showed the rate of bullying in that group was also 5 percentage points higher and their lifetime of alcohol use rate was 7 percent above the state average. These findings astounded the group, who knew something had to be done – and that it was up to our community to do it.

On November 15, 2017, partnering with the Department of Health and the Blaine school district, they brought together representatives of the community and non-profits, creating the Healthy Youth Coalition (HYC).

HYC’s vision is to empower youth by helping them develop a healthy, connected, confident and mindful life filled with purpose and hope. And their mission is to provide prevention programs and opportunities for youth in the north county by mobilizing community members, resources and organizations to build pathways for our youth to achieve their full potential.

January 15, 2018, was the first Teen Night at The Pizza Factory. This now weekly event offers a safe place with a peer support group of experienced adult mentors connecting kids to the community, sharing a meal, singing and dancing and getting insights into making healthy choices.

Notable activities of the past year included dedicating a Buddy Bench at the Skate Park; partnering in the Run to the Border and creating Rocktoberfest – a family-friendly community festival. The HYC was awarded the 2018 Blaine Builder Award. HYC’s advocacy for a school resource officer resulted in a full-time position slated to start in January 2019.

And they are just beginning. Next year’s calendar adds Blue Beats for middle schoolers with the Blaine Police Department’s bicycle patrol officers and more Talk Saves Lives sessions. These opportunities are protective factors giving kids a reason to say, “Yes” to healthy recreational activities.