Happy March! The last month was filled with Team retreats, joy, and lots of OS programming.

With only a few months left in this school year, we want to encourage everyone to continue their efforts for change and know we are so proud of everything that has been accomplished thus far.

We are excited to be hosting the annual 2025 OS, Inc. Awards Banquet on Wednesday, April 30 at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center. This event will include a dinner along with a celebration for our 2025 Spring Awards recipients. Nomination forms for the 2025 Awards Banquet are now OPEN!

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

• OS Youth Excellence Award
• OS Adult Excellence Award
• Beyond The Call Of Duty Award
• A Voice for Positive Change Award
• Leadership Spotlight Award

TEAM AWARDS

• New OS Team Award 
• Outstanding OS Team Award
• Creative & Innovative Award
• High Five Award 
• Standing Ovation Award
• Salute To Loyalty Award
• Warm Fuzzy Award 

Every Team is able to submit their nominations(s). We invite you to spend some time reflecting on programming for this past year, and fill out a nomination form for any individual or Team who stood out to you and deserves to be recognized. This can include any Snowball youth leaders, youth directors, adult small group leaders, adult directors or support staff at your event as well as Teams you mentor, collaborate, or recognize in networking. This is the perfect time to show off how incredible your group is and we want to celebrate with you.

The deadline to submit your nominations(s) is March 22, at 5:00pm, use the link below to fill out your nomination form if you have someone in mind.

We are inviting you to sponsor a table during our 2025 Operation Snowball, Inc. Awards Banquet. Sponsoring a table at our Awards Banquet is a meaningful way to support and honor the incredible work youth, adults, and teams are doing to creative positive change in our communities across the state. Your sponsorships help us celebrate their dedication, amplify their impact, and inspire continued leadership.

In recognition of your generous support, your business/organization’s logo will be prominently displayed on the sponsored table, included in our program book, and announced during the welcome ceremony – showcasing your commitment to investing in substance use prevention, mental wellness, and student leadership.

We have 15 tables to select from. Each table sponsorship is $500.



Sponsorship Includes:

• Sign with your name/logo on the table(s)

• Your name/logo in our program book

• Acknowledgement in our opening remarks

• Acknowledgement on our social media channels

The deadline for sponsorships is April 25 at 5:00pm!

Are you looking for ways to engage with your Snowball leaders? Select an awareness day that your students are excited about, have a planning meeting on how you envision bringing awareness to your school/community, and implement throughout the day in-person as well as on any Team specific social media. This is a fantastic way to keep the ball rolling after the conclusion of a spring Snowball retreat.

OS, Inc. hosted a regional virtual training with award-winning Speaker, Erin Pompa on Becoming A Mental Health Warrior, who spoke with participants about mental health challenges present in our daily lives and how to alleviate that stress to live in harmony with ourselves. Participants were able to share their thoughts, dive into self-reflection activities, and learn more about what "fills their cups" and what drains them. Throughout this session, participants were given self-reflection questions and activities to take with them beyond the training, so they can begin conversations and advocate for their mental health and the mental health of those around them!

If you weren't able to catch the session live you can find the recording on our online training platform through Absorb.

Our final regional training of the 2024-2025 school year was a success. Students from Evergreen Park High School, Schaumburg High School and Homewood-Flossmoor High School came together and were able to learn all about teamwork and leadership from speakers, and OS Board of Directors, Emma Murphy and Amari Brown. They took participants through a variety of activities to get them working together and engaging their different leadership qualities. Participants were reminded by Emma and Amari that, "Rome wasn't built in a day, and becoming a good leader doesn't happen overnight!" This encouraged participants to take what they learned back to their OS Teams and see what change they can make happen with their new-found skills!

If you are looking for a training similar to Team Fusion for your leaders, reach out to our team at michaela@ilabh.org.

Substance use, misuse and self-harm share several risk factors including; trauma, physical abuse, sexual abuse/assault, emotional abuse, neglect, bullying, parental/familial substance abuse, mental health problems, and/or loss of a loved one. Self-harm or self-injury, like a substance addiction, can be highly addictive making it hard if not impossible for an individual to stop on their own.

Please spend some time to check out the resources linked below to learn more about this correlation and how to support your leaders.

How to Deal with Self-Harm. Crisis Hotline. (2025). https://www.crisistextline.org/topics/self-harm/#how-to-deal-with-self-harm-4 

Lautieri, A., & Thomas, S. (2024, November). How to Treat Self-Harm and Substance Abuse. AAC Laguna Treatment Center. https://lagunatreatment.com/co-occurring-disorder/self-harm/ 

Stevens, A. (2020, February). How are Substance Abuse & Self-Harm Related?. Recovery Unplugged Behavioral Health. https://www.recoveryunplugged.com/how-are-substance-abuse-and-self-harm-related/ 

West Aurora OS battled through the snow and ice to host their retreat and were able to have an amazing event. The students came together, held space for tough conversations, and were able to see the results happen before their eyes. This retreat had West Aurora's highest number of participants to date, with a theme of "You Can Count On Me", these students took the message to heart and made sure to make the most out of their moments at their 2025 Spring Retreat.

Hanover Township OS hosted their first event since before Covid, and had an amazing turnout. Hanover OS enjoyed a mystery-themed Snowflurry event with over 80 elementary students, 24 Youth Leaders, and 25 Adult Volunteers. They focused on solving the mystery of friendship and helped encourage their participants to make long-lasting connections. It was an amazing day and return for Hanover OS into OS events.

If you need help brainstorming event or retreat themes, reach out to us to schedule a brainstorming call. We cannot wait o see the incredible themes OS Teams continue to come up and host amazing events with!

Conant OS hosted their Spring Retreat focusing on stepping out of their comfort zones and fearlessly being themselves. These themes helped the participants come together and enjoy themselves and the event to the fullest extend. Conant OS was able to adapt OS materials to fit the needs of their Students, and help them find common ground to make their event a true success.

Schaumburg OS reached their maximum capacity at their spring OS retreat, with over 100 participants. Their Youth Leaders dedicated so much of their time to making this event a success and recruiting all of the participants for a joy-filled day. Schaumburg focused on team building and strengthening their connections throughout their day.

We know that so many of our OS Teams are still building their programs back up, so we would love to schedule a Zoom call to help you brainstorm ways to recruit and put your OS Team back out there!

Fremd hosted over 130 students at their spring retreat for another successful year of programming. Even after 15 years of OS programming at Fremd they are still working hard to bring their community, OS Team, and OS alum together to create lasting change! We love to see the constant results that Fremd and several other long-standing Teams show us year-after-year, the consistent growth and effort is always so inspiring.

From being a brand new OS Team last year to doubling their event size this year, Prospect OS came ready to create lasting connections and community change at their Retreat. Every person involved brought an exceptional level of energy and readiness to this retreat, making it an amazing day. With Prospect only being in their second year of OS programming, we just know that their future is bright and we cannot wait to see what they continue to bring to their school!

From screen-printing to practicing their balance, Vernon Hills and Libertyville OS Teams had a fantastic retreat. Hosting a joint retreat allowed these Teams to dive into different perspectives and truly come together to promote change on a larger scale. This retreat allowed for both schools to come learn about their community, tackle different perspectives, and discuss ideas about the change they want to see take place throughout their community and beyond!

Aptakisic Snowflake hosted their day-long Spring Retreat and it was a great success. With an array of speakers, OS stories and energizers, and well-thought out examples for their parents, they brought everything they could to their retreat and left their Students feeling empowered and motivated to make positive decisions. Stevenson High School OS Youth Leaders were great to dive in to help make sure that Aptakisic's Snowflake was successful and a fun time for the middle school students.

The Northern Lake County Conference (NLCC) OS Team hosted a fantastic spring Snowball. The NLCC for the first time had students from every school in their conference attend, with a grand total of 170 attendees. It was a great day that encouraged students to break out of their comfort zones and learn even more about team-building and leadership. We just know the sky is the limit for the Teams in this conference, and we can't wait to see what they do next!

Lyons Township hosted another successful Snowball retreat. Their retreat was filled with plenty of new connections! Lyons Township students were able to make even more new memories with the rest of their Team, pushing their Team unity to another level. After two incredibly amazing retreats this school year, Lyons Township is already in planning mode for even more great retreats next school year.

Monroe County Coalition hosted a Snowball enrollment drive to encourage students to be a part of the OS Teams at their schools. The evening was filled with a lot of conversations and ideas that will be beneficial to the future of these Teams. The event took place thanks to a partnership with their local YMCA club, thus encouraging students to make even more positive choices in their lives.

If you need help hosting an enrollment drive, let us know, we would love to be present to speak with students and adults about all of the amazing benefits of Operation Snowball!

Bella Brenzinger

Schaumburg High School OS

Hear from Bella Brenzinger about her time in Snowball and what the connections and relationships she has made mean to her:

"My connection to Operation Snowball first began as an anxious and very shy freshman at Schaumburg High School. It was about two weeks into the new school year when I met with my counselor, Mr. Swolsky, (a.k.a. Big Swol!!). I was having a difficult time adjusting to high school because the school I previously attended had a graduating class of 17 students, and moving to a school with about 2,300 students was shocking in numerous ways. Mr. Swolsky knew I needed Snowball, and he convinced me to attend later that year in February. 

My first ever Snowball experience was absolutely life changing. The small group processing discussions, along with the inspiring activities I participated in, allowed me to truly find myself and encouraged me to choose positivity every day since. Snowball inspired me to get out of my comfort zone in a way that I never would have thought possible. Participating in Snowball my freshman year also gave me the confidence I needed to sign up for other clubs within my school, which introduced me to so many amazing opportunities. 

To continue my Snowball experience, I decided to apply for a staff leadership position my sophomore year, and I was so blessed with the opportunity. Experiencing Snowball from a student leadership position was so incredible. My absolute favorite part about it was being able to observe the positive energy and good vibes impact participants the same way it affected me just a year earlier. I also had the privilege of attending CGTI 2024 and Mid-Year 2025 with our Operation Snowball Team which enhanced my involvement with Operation Snowball and taught me even more wonderful life lessons. 

Earlier this school year, I had the opportunity to join the Operation Snowball, Inc. Board of Directors as a Youth Advocate which has so far been another wonderful and educational experience. I love being a part of Operation Snowball in so many ways and seeing the life changing impacts it has on all who are involved with it. 

Just this last weekend, on February 22nd, our Snowball Team hosted our 2025 Snowball event, and it was a massive success! I had the pleasure to work as one of our student directors this year and experience Snowball from a whole new perspective yet again. With the work of our incredible student leaders and the dedication they put forth, we reached our 100-participant capacity and positively impacted the lives of the participants. From teamwork-building, to strengthening leadership skills, to amazing workshops, and our incredible guest speaker, DeMarco Fomby, we were able to positively impact the lives of so many students who will take these new skills and create positive change all around them. 



To say Operation Snowball has changed my life for the better is truly an understatement. My involvement is so special to me and is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. Without Operation Snowball and Mr. Swolsky's encouragement to attend, I would never have had the opportunity to grow out of my comfort zone, learn to choose positivity, and become the person I am today. So many of the incredible opportunities in my life are all rooted in my involvement in Operation Snowball, and I will forever be grateful I attended my freshman year. "

Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute (CGTI) 2025 registration is now open! CGTI is open to all 7th - 12th grade students for the 2025-2026 school year, coming with a team or individually. This event is for students who are or want to be leaders in their schools and communities. We also encourage an adult from the school/community to attend to support the student's action plan. 

Attendees will hear from six keynote speakers, attend four breakout workshops, participate in team building activities with their discussion group, and develop an action plan with their team to create positive change. This is a great opportunity for Operation Snowball, Inc. Teams and Individuals to broaden their knowledge, expand their skillsets and collaborate with more like-minded peers from across the state and around the world.

IABH’s new statewide prevention campaign, Generation Lead, provides students the knowledge and resources to help youth make informed healthy decisions to stay substance free.

How to engage with Generation Lead's Campaign:

• Learn about the risks of underage substance use
• Read about tips on how to have youth can have conversations with their peers on why they choose to stay substance free
• Include Generation Lead as an awareness campaign in your yearly Snowball programming at your school to promote overall healthy decision making
• Aquire posters to disseminate in high population areas of your school or community

Above all else, this is a campaign for youth, guided by youth. Every decision from the campaign name, logo, colors, campaign materials, talking kits, etc. have been shaped to best serve the youth population through focus groups with middle school and high school students.

If you want to be a part of a world where communities are free from the harmful effects of substance use, check out the link in our bio and follow us on all platforms!

OS, Inc. | operationsnowballinc.org