As we wrap up a dynamic and impactful school year of prevention work, we want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible efforts of our accredited Operation Snowball teams across Illinois and around the globe. From building an amplifying youth leadership to promoting substance use prevention, your dedication continues to make a lasting difference in countless lives.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a pivotal time for our community, and we’re keeping busy! This month, we’ll be sending out OS accreditations, sharing updates about the Fall 2025 Snowball Showcase, and preparing for some exciting changes for the upcoming school year. Stay tuned for more details about our new monthly virtual meetings, which will replace our regional meetings, providing ongoing networking and program updates. We’ll also be transitioning our trainings to a more flexible, on-demand format, allowing your teams to access valuable resources whenever it best fits your schedule.

Additionally, we’ll be working throughout the summer to enhance our website’s membership portal, making it more accessible and user-friendly. Expect new features like networking opportunities, Q&A sections, easy access to logos and training materials, and much more.

This will be our last newsletter until August, but we’re here to support you every step of the way. Keep up the amazing work, and stay connected through our website and social media for ongoing updates and resources!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for our recent Awards Banquet. Your support helped make the evening a tremendous success, and we are deeply grateful to our generous sponsors, dedicated award recipients, and all those who came out to celebrate the exceptional work being done across the Operation Snowball network.

New OS Team Award - Wauconda High School Youth Advisory Board OS

Beyond the Call of Duty Award - Nikki Kirchway from Grayslake North OS

Creative & Innovative Award - Monroe County Coalition OS

Standing Ovation Award - St. Teresa's Youth Centre OS

Leadership Spotlight Award - Dominic Ganir from East Leyden OS

Warm Fuzzy Award - Hanover Township Youth & Family Services OS

Salute to Loyalty Award - Glenbrook North OS

A Voice for Positive Change Award - Amari Brown from OS Board of Directors

High Five Award - Schaumburg OS

OS Youth Excellence Award - Meredith Steciuk from Stevenson OS

OS Adult Excellence Award - Melissa Krenkel from D218 OS

Outstanding OS Team Award - Bridging the Gap East Aurora OS

Lyons Township OS Leaders spent the day at Forest Hills Elementary, teaching them all about Snowball! It was a great day filled with lots of laughs, team-building activities, and engagement with the younger generations of Snowball Leaders. These Student Leaders worked hard to introduce the missions of OS in an age-appropriate manner and encouraged these elementary students to join Snowball when they get older!

Are you looking for ways to increase student engagement and awareness with younger students? If you need help brainstorming ways to interact with younger students and schools, reach out to IABH staff to schedule a consult!

Lila Gallinson

Glenbrook North OS

Hear from Lila Gallinson about her OS Team and what Snowball means to her:

"I joined Operation Snowball my freshman year after hearing about a fun retreat from some of my friends. It seemed like a great opportunity– I’d get to miss school and hang out with friends. Little did I know that going on that three day retreat would completely change the course of my high school experience. Not only did I grow to love the program itself, but I also got to meet some amazing people and was inspired by all the leadership around me.

My sophomore year, I decided that I wanted to be a part of that impact. However, I was the only sophomore to be a leader that year. I walked into the first meeting, terrified by the upperclassmen that surrounded me. This time around, I had no close friends or anyone to rely on. But I quickly realized that the incredibly supportive Operation Snowball community was exactly what I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone. Right away, several people welcomed me to this new community.

But my inspiration didn't stop there. Junior year, I pushed myself even further and took on an even larger role: a teen director. Once again, I was the youngest leader there, so I knew that I couldn’t rely on being a director with people the same age as me. Yet, I felt ready, and that year became my best year yet. I helped to lead a large group of people, double our participation numbers and to create an environment where everyone felt included, just as I looked for as an underclassman. I was also better able to understand the deeper mission of Snowball: a need to advocate for mental health in a world where it is looked as a sign of weakness. 

As I reach the end of my junior year, I am definitely feeling the stress and pressure as any rising-senior would. College applications, final exams, AP credits– everything seems to be happening at once. Yet because of the skills I have developed throughout my time with Snowball, I feel equipped to tackle each challenge I may face and to seek help when I need.

I still have one more year of high school left, but I already know how deeply Snowball has shaped me. I can’t wait to see what opportunities lie ahead!"

Standard Registration is now open for the Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute (CGTI), taking place July 13 – 17 at Eastern Illinois University. CGTI provides Operation Snowball Teams and Individuals with the opportunity to increase their prevention education, hone leadership skills and work on plans to better their communities throughout the year.

At CGTI, participants will get the chance to see six keynotes and four workshops, attend five small group team building sessions and five community action planning sessions, and more, that contribute to positive change, healthy decision making and personal and team growth. There is still plenty of time to register today for this amazing experience, make sure to use the link below!

Generation Lead is designed to raise awareness about substance use and misuse among youth and communities across Illinois. Offering posters, postcards, stickers, and talking kits – completely free – to help support these conversations in schools and spaces. 

AVAILABLE FREE RESOURCES:

• Talking kits
• Posters
• Stickers
• Postcards

You can order enough for your entire school or just for yourself!

Generation Lead has began distributing their materials throughout the state, so make sure to keep your eyes out for their amazing resources.

For more details about Generation lead, visit their website or follow them on social media. They would love to support your efforts in fostering meaningful conversations around prevention!

OS, Inc. | operationsnowballinc.org