(Town of Eaton, NY – March 2015) Exceptional young advocates were recognized by Reality Check of New York at a ceremony at the Empire State Plaza in Albany on March 18, Kick Butts Day, a national day of youth activism celebrated across the county.
Since 2001, Reality Check youth advocates have been working to educate community leaders and their peers about the manipulative tactics of the tobacco industry to recruit youth to become the next generation of replacement smokers. The young advocates were honored for their commitment, resolve and determination to go up against the tobacco industry and spend time and energy to make their communities healthier.
The Award winners included Central Region Youth Advocate of the Year Jordyn Camp, a junior at Morrisville-Eaton Central School.
“I am so blessed to be able to make a difference, to make changes that could save lives by preventing kids from ever starting a lifelong tobacco addiction,” Camp said.
Camp has been a leader in Reality Check for the past three years. She is a member of the Oneida, Madison, and Herkimer County Reality Check Chapter. Her accomplishments have included planning and carrying out activities and events in the three county area to raise awareness about the negative impact of tobacco in the community and what community members, youth, organizations, businesses, and political leaders can do to help prevent youth initiation of tobacco use.
Camp has traveled with Reality Check to New York City to stand up and speak out at the Philip Morris International Shareholder’s meeting and plans on attending again this May. She has also traveled to Washington, DC to connect and learn from other youth leaders in the country fighting the same tobacco battle. She, along with Victoria Hysell a Junior at Madison Central School brought home a plan to increase the level of youth leadership in tobacco prevention in New York State and as a result youth are having a stronger voice than ever before in regards to tobacco prevention and control.
Camp will now serve as the Regional Youth Representative for the Central Region Tobacco Control, bringing the youth voice to the table.
“These young people are amazing and make an enormous contribution to the tobacco control program in New York,” said Heather Bernet, Reality Check Coordinator, Oneida, Madison and Herkimer Counties. “They plan events, educate legislators, and work with the media to create changes where they live, work, play and attend school.”
Reality Check youth advocates and leaders gathered in Albany on Kick Butts Day to announce the award winners, attend training on youth advocacy and gather inspiration from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Central Region Youth Advocate of the Year, Rebecca ‘Becky’ Bade, 16, of New Bloomfield, Mo.