West Chester teens:
using our influence for good.

• Choose one of our project ideas below or create your own. 

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• Projects MUST address youth mental health or underage substance use (facts, myths, healthy alternatives, etc.) Projects that highlight how substance use affects mental health are also encouraged. 

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• Use this Google Form to pitch your idea to us by February 15th.

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• Implement your project and submit receipts by March 30th.

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• We will reimburse selected project ideas up to $200.

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• All activities on school grounds must have prior approval from your principal.

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Teen-led projects look great on college applications and help your peers to THRIVE. 

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Scroll down to see past projects from local teens.

Project Ideas

Choose a project below or create your own. 

If your project idea is chosen, we'll fund the cost (up to $500) and help to promote on social media, if applicable.

Education and Awareness

• Wall Art Project - create a mural in or near your school cafeteria by asking teens walking past how they thrive.  Teens write their ideas on brightly colored post it notes and add them to your school letters you've outlined with tape on the cafeteria wall or hallway. Post it notes, sharpies and giveaways for those who participate can be purchased with THRIVE funds.

• Candy Cope - Ask passing youth True/False questions about coping skills. Reward "players" with candy or other giveaways purchased with THRIVE funds. Attach ideas for how to cope to fun giveaways, like candy or stress balls. 

• Graphic Design - Make a substance-free or mental health graphic for us to post on social media. Use THRIVE funds to boost your post and watch your reach explode.

• Make a poster for school hallways or community spaces. We'll take care of the printing costs.​

• Bulletin Board Project - Great for a team of students who wish to learn about local data impacting youth and help to educate their peers by designing and creating a bulletin board for your school hallways or community spaces.

• BINGE ON THIS! - Create labels for water bottles that include this eye catching phrase: "Binge on this" and facts about drinking water instead of alcohol. We'll front the cost for the water bottles and you can sell them at a local event to raise funds for THRIVE.

• QR Code-a-palooza - create window clings or posters for store windows; postcards or table tents for restaurant tables with QR codes that link to a page on our website with valuable information for teens or parents on facts, myths or where to get help. 

​Alternative Activities to Underage Drinking 

• FREE FUN FRIDAYS - Create a "pre-game" activity before a Friday Night Football game. Use THRIVE funds to bring in ping-pong tables, have a water balloon fight, run a drum circle. Or, give us your best idea.

• Graphic Design - create a poster or instagram graphic that creates a buzz around having a sober prom.  THRIVE funds can be used to print posters or turn your art into an Instagram ad to reach thousands.

• Take the Pledge - Use pre-designed pledge cards to encourage area teens to pledge "My brain matters".  Use THRIVE funds to supply stress relief giveaways.

• Create a photo calendar with images of healthy alternatives to drinking or using drugs and add text about how each activity is good for our physical/mental health.

Activities for Mental Health Promotion and Substance Use Prevention

• Chalk the Walk - Enlist the help of art classes and run a sidewalk chalk art contest. Creative outlets are great for our emotional health. Consider a theme such as: How I Thrive or That's me: Drug-free.  THRIVE funds can pay for chalk and advertising and prizes for top teen artists.

• Kindness Day - Gather your friends, club or team and see how many kids you can catch kids you can catch being kind in a single day/week/month.  Thank them with a lollipop and  snap a photo for @wcthrive.  This project will boost mental health of both giver and receiver.​

• Notes to New Students - Feeling connected to peers and to school is proven to strengthen human resilience. Share your school pride by organizing your friends, club or team to write notes to new incoming students. Coordinate with counselors to share notes with new students. THRIVE funds can be used to purchase notecards.  Make it extra special by sharing your contact info and offering to answer questions or eat lunch together.

Contests​

• Create an Instagram Challenge for your grade, team, school or youth group that promotes living absurdly fun, substance-free and emotionally healthy lives.

• Inspire your peers to post pics of their substance-free, but dopamine raising adventures at @wcthrive using #howithrive and use THRIVE funds to raffle off a free pizza, ice cream, skateboard or prize of your choosing. 

Videos

• create your own one minute video showcasing why you choose not to use drugs or alcohol. Longer videos can be submitted, but those under one minute can be promoted on social media with THRIVE funds.

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Questions? Contact us to learn how you can get involved.

FACTS & MYTHS

Consider these facts and myths when deciding details about your project.

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General:

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• In 2021, more than 76% of WC teens report they are not using substances with any regularity. Know the facts: Not everyone is doing it.

• Our brain development is experience dependent. When we engage in addictive behaviors, we strengthen that portion of the brain and limit functions in lesser used portions.

• Experimenting with alcohol at an early age is one of the leading indicators of addiction, teen pregnancy, and poor grades.

• Addiction occurs when repeated use of an addictive substance drugs or alcohol changes how a person’s brain functions over time.

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Alcohol:

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• Myth: Everyone drinks in high school.

• Fact: In a 2021 survey, only 14% of West Chester teens reported drinking in the past 30 days. 

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Marijuana:

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• West Chester teens are 2x more likely to drive while under the influence of marijuana.

• Marijuana is addictive.

• Marijuana can cause permanent IQ loss (as much as 8 points) when people start using at a young age. 

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Vaping:

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• Nicotine can disrupt the part of the brain that controls attention, learning, moods and impulse control.

• People are more susceptible to becoming addicted to nicotine before the brain fully develops (age 25).  

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RX Drugs:

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• Less than 1% of WC school-aged teens report using prescription drugs to get high. Smart kids!

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Technology:

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• Technology is changing the way our brains look. We have less memory. 

• Every ping on social media releases dopamine and forces us to crave more.

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Mental Health:

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• Using drugs and alcohol can lead to changes in the brain which increase the risk of anxiety and depression.

• Brain health requires as much attention as physical health.

THRIVE Leadership:
Join the FUN

There are immediate openings on our THRIVE Leadership Team. Be the rep from your school or community organization and help more youth to THRIVE.

Event Planning and Promotion

• explore the freshest ideas for FUN in the West Chester area

• get teens talking; develop a social media strategy

Messaging Campaign

• design a slogan around a current social issue (teens and alcohol, mental health, school violence)

• develop a promotion strategy

  • Web based, TV, Radio, t shirts, posters, school wide event​​

• research, pre and post, was the campaign effective​​?

Leadership​

• maintain member contact lists
• run meetings
• recruit new members

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Contact us to learn how you can get involved.