Don’t be Ordinary, be Extraordinary by Zané D.
We live in a world where vaping, tobacco, e-cigarettes, drinking, obesity, unhealthy foods, unclean drinking water and lack of physical activity have become normal. We live in a world where youth are told they’re too young to understand the problems and solutions, or that nobody is ever going to listen to their voices. We live in a world where people want to change and want to make a difference, but don’t put themselves out there or get involved. That’s where Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) comes in.
You see, YAHL is where youth get a real chance to make a difference. YAHL is where every voice is heard and every opinion matters. If you’re anything like me, you want and need to make a change in this world and you won’t take no for an answer. Through YAHL, I can make that happen. I can give middle school presentations about the dangers of tobacco and vaping products, showing students the real consequences of using tobacco and nicotine products. I can talk to elementary school students about the importance of physical activity and how healthy eating impacts their everyday lives. I can meet with superintendents, school board members and principals to address concerns about clean drinking water and better food options, while helping develop new policies and solutions. I can even speak with legislators about creating new policies or improving existing ones to help make Oklahoma a better and healthier place to live.
YAHL has helped me realize that no one is too young to start making a difference. Even though I’m a young person, my opinion and my voice matter. YAHL is a way for young people to be heard and to create the real-world changes their hearts desire. So I’ll say it again. Don’t be ordinary, be extraordinary. Become part of the everlasting YAHL community that has given me the opportunity to make a real-world difference and let your voice be heard.
