In a small town where community ties run deep, three HOSA members’ passion is making a big impact. Avery Adams, Madelyn Leibsch, and Livia Nippert, sophomores at Rock Creek High School, are leading the charge against teenage substance abuse with a community
fundraiser aimed at raising awareness and support.
“We have raised around $500 out of our $1,000 goal; all of our funds will then be donated to the National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children, which works with the Pottawatomie Health Center,” Leibsch said.
The National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children strives to disrupt generational cycles of substance misuse, while assisting professionals and communities in tackling the impact of substance misuse on children and families.
This fundraiser “will help our community know that substance abuse is an issue: knowing that this is a real problem, and there are real effects,” Leibsch said.
Taking part in a community awareness campaign, the active members of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America – Future Health Professionals) chose to take this matter to the state competition.
The trio was empowered to highlight this topic when they “went to Manhattan High School and we saw they pushed this topic out, and we really realized that we didn’t have anything like that,” Liebsch said.
After slightly touching on the subject during freshman year in Health and P.E., the matter is said to rarely be addressed, other than the occasional fentanyl awareness assemblies held during school.
Leibsch, Nippert, and Adams are advancing their substance abuse community awareness campaign to the state level, with initiatives to educate the community on the dangers of substance abuse, and the importance of prevention. Their dedication to this cause emphasizes the power of youth-led initiatives in driving meaningful change.
