Happy February!
February is Black History Month and we hope you'll join us in continuing to learn about Black history as well as what resources we can use that provide comprehensive, intersectional information for our Black communities, volunteers and participants.
If you are interested in continuing to learn how to best support and celebrate diverse communities we hope you will join OS, Inc. for our training in March, Culture is Prevention! Youth Prevention Strategies for Diverse Communities (LGBTQ, POC, etc.). You can find a more information below along with a registration link to sign up for free.
We hope you'll join us for our other upcoming trainings and we are excited to continue watching everyone achieve their goals and make an impact with your events. As always, please let us know how we can support your Team programming throughout the year.
Operation Snowball, Inc. Team
Ashley & Riley
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Operation Snowball Trainings |
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Our 2022 spring training catalog is finally here! You can click the link below to find the titles, descriptions and registrations for our upcoming trainings for the 2022 spring semester. These trainings are free and open to all. Please forward these on to your students and OS directors. |
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Weekly Wellness Lunch Break
February 22
11:30AM to 12:00PM CST (Virtual)
SELF-CARE
Every Tuesday during the months of January and February we will hold a 30 minute session via zoom, to spend time together increasing our self-care toolkit and to serve as a good reminder to re-center ourselves.
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Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute
2022 Mid-Year Conference
(in collaboration with OS, Inc.)
February 25-27
We are excited to be just days away from welcoming student and adult leaders to an incredible leadership conference that features keynotes, workshops, team building, networking and more!
This year we have 12 Snowball Teams attending the Mid-Year Conference, many for the first time. Look for a recap in the March edition.
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Game On! Snowball Showcase
March 3
12:00PM to 3:00PM CST
Join Operation Snowball, Inc. for this fast paced, hands on, and tool-filled INTERACTIVE, FUN, and MUSIC-FILLED training experience! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more than 20 new activities, games, apps, and resources that you can put into immediate use with your Snowball Teams.
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Culture is Prevention! Youth Prevention Strategies for Diverse Communities (LGBTQ, POC, etc.)
March 22
4:00PM to 7:00PM CST
In this session participants will:
- Review data that identify populations at higher risk for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
- Understand how certain groups have been historically marginalized in public health and how that has impacted communities today
- Identify culturally-appropriate strategies addressing youth substance use.
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OS, Inc. Training Highlight |
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We are so thankful to Libertyville and Vernon Hills High School OS Teams for hosting and attending our in-person regional training last week. |
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Trauma-Informed Substance Use Prevention Training Recap |
Students spent time learning the definition of “trauma” and its impact on the developing brain through all facets of life, played activities to demonstrate an understanding of risk and protective factors, and identified how to apply trauma-informed strategies to their day-to-day prevention efforts. It was such an incredible training filled with inspiring leaders! |
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This toolkit was made to explain and review the terminology, lingo and traditions that support Operation Snowball programming! This toolkit is for both new and existing Teams and individuals looking to better understand Operation Snowball!
In this toolkit, you'll find information on the foundations of our programming, where we get some of our terms and ideas from, event-specific lingo and more. We hope these explanations open the door for you to use them yourselves and incorporate them into your own planning.
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Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month |
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February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAM). This is an issue that impacts everyone – not just teens – but their parents, teachers, friends and communities as well. Together, we can raise the nation’s awareness about teen dating violence and promote safe, healthy relationships. |
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March Prevention Activities |
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Problem Gambling
Awareness Month (PGAM)
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Our IABH program, Focus Youth Gambling Prevention offers a toolkit in completing a PGAM Campaign in your school or community. For this campaign, youth will post informational graphics, statuses, and tweets surrounding Problem Gambling Awareness Month. There will be opportunities to wear teal ribbons (the color for this month) to raise awareness and education on problem gambling and more! |
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For more details please contact our Prevention Program Coordinator, Sarah Martin. |
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April Prevention Activities |
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Day of Action is
April 1, 2022
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On Kick Butts Day, youth leaders and health advocates organize events to:
- Raise awareness of the problem of tobacco use in their state or community;
- Encourage youth to reject the tobacco industry's deceptive marketing and stay tobacco-free; and
- Urge elected officials to take action to protect kids from tobacco.
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Alcohol Awareness Month was started in April 1987 by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.
Throughout the month, the movement focuses on sharing facts, ending stigma, and sharing resources. Anyone can get involved!
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How to Bring tMHFA to Your
Snowball Team
We are excited to share that we are currently training the 10th grade class of one of our Snowball Teams, Stagg High School.
With your OS membership we offer a discount to bring tMHFA to your youth leaders.
Things to Note:
- 30 students max per training group.
- We can train up to 150 students at a time.
- Implemented in three 75 minute sessions or six 45 minute sessions.
- 100% OS Adults must be Youth MHFA certified.
- Virtual sessions will be offered soon!
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What is tMHFA?
The teen MHFA course teaches high school students how to provide mental health first aid to their friends. The course was developed in response to research indicating that young people have a preference for sharing problems with peers.
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In tMHFA, teens learn about the following:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depressive disorders
- Eating disorders
- Alcohol and other drug use disorders
- Psychotic disorders
Mental health crisis situations covered in tMHFA are:
- Having thoughts of suicide
- Threatening violence or harm to others
- Engaging in self-injury
- Being very intoxicated on alcohol or other drugs
- Experiencing a traumatic event such as bullying, abuse, or assault
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For inquiries and scheduling requests please contact Riley Cleary.
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We Want to Hear From You! |
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Operation Snowball, Inc. wants to continue to highlight OS Teams each month in our newsletter. Please continue to share with us the amazing work that you are doing in your schools and communities.
This may mean sharing photos of your events or weekly meetings, graphics and videos your group has created for your prevention programming, maybe it is a write-up from one of your students reflecting on a project you all completed. In other words, we want to celebrate YOU!
Be proud of all you have accomplished!
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MISSION STATEMENT: Operation Snowball is an international youth program that empowers student leaders through prevention education, community advocacy, and leadership development to a create positive impact.
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937 South Second Street | Springfield, IL 62704
217.528.7335 ext. 27
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