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  Phone: 540- 772-4341

Students Attend CADCA’s National Mid-Year Training

Last week  – Arielle Rosmarino, 2009 graduate of Glenvar High School, Khadijah Johnson, rising Sophomore, and Destinee Dixon, rising Senior, both from  Northside HS represented Roanoke County, VA at CADCA’s(Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America)  National Mid-Year Training this year held in Louisville, KY. 

Students with some of their new friends and sharing an ice cream break with General Dean, Executive Director of CADCA.

This was a week long, intensive training designed for community coalition professionals as well as youth leaders in these coalitions.  A record number 1300 plus coalition leaders attended the training learning everything from coalition fundamentals, evaluation to underage drinking policies and social marketing strategies.

 Besides record numbers, this year’s Mid-Year training increased in diversity with participants coming from all over the United States and the world – nearly all 50 states were represented, several US territories, 10 countries, a large contingent from the US Air Force and National Guard. 

Our young ladies were part of over 200 youth who took part in CADCA’s National Youth Leadership Initiative.  We will be sending along “in their own words” what they learned and how they plan to use their voice, new skills and strategies to continue to demonstrate how youth can be the leaders to keep our communities safe and healthy. 

It was a pleasure to escort these youth leaders to and from KY!

Below is the new Connected Communities Social Network.  Check out under the video section, Arielle’s excellent video on Why 21 – it has been given 5 stars and is now posted on other prevention websites throughout the country.  Way to Go Arielle!

Social Network for Community Coalitions Officially Launches at CADCA’s Mid-Year

Coalitions asked for better opportunities to network with other groups between face-to-face events and conferences. CADCA has answered with the official launch of Connected Communities a new social network that provides coalition leaders and members the opportunity to connect, communicate and collaborate with others in the field.

Connected Communities is a social networking Web site that offers coalitions the opportunity to share their stories, photos, videos and work products, to initiate topical discussions and to get advice from others in the field (including CADCA staff). Coalitions from a particular state or region or that are working on specific issues, such as underage drinking, can create groups that share information about what is working in their communities.

The global network can help inform and strengthen your local efforts. Connected Communities is active and membership is open to all community coalition members. We hope you will join the more than 525 members already participating in the network.

For more information on Connected Communities or incorporating social media into your coalition’s communication efforts, contact Sue Stine, Sr. Manager for Dissemination and Coalition Relations for CADCA’s National Coalition Institute at sstine@cadca.org.