This initiative brought together key stakeholders, youth, parents and the wider community through activities promoting informed decision-making and healthy choices.
“Supporting our youth starts with supporting parents. When families are informed and supported, young people are better equipped to make healthy choices. This initiative shows what’s possible when the community comes together to guide both,” said Carol Skinner, a member of the Parenting in Action group.
A highlight of the month was a community panel discussion, which provided a platform for open dialogue on substance use. The discussion covered vaping, marijuana use, and alcohol, highlighting their impact on individuals, families, and the wider community.
The panel featured a diverse group of professionals and community representatives, including:
- Community Officer Rex Carlos Coutar
- Public Health Doctor Menno Bakker
- Health Promoter Michael Bautista
- ZJCN Youth Social Worker Monique Wilson
- Saba Youth Council President Rosheed Ballantyne
- MDT Youth Leader Kendra Gomez
- Parent Representatives Elsa Peterson and Mervin Alexander
To actively involve young people, a public speaking competition and a school video competition were organized, both focusing on vaping and its impact.
The public speaking competition included students from the Sacred Heart School and the Saba Comprehensive School, giving youth a platform to share their perspectives on vaping and advocate for healthier choices.
Public Speaking Competition Results:
- Overall, Winner of the Night: Renecia Lovell, one of the youngest participants.
Category 1
- 1st Place: Renecia Lovell
- 2nd Place: Levi Wight
Category 2
- 1st Place: Ishan singh
- 2nd Place: Dekora Nicholson
- 3rd Place: Nicholas Zagers
Category 3
- 1st Place: Zoë Thode
- 2nd Place: Larianny Del Carmen
Category 4
- 1st Place: Shayna Skinner
- 2nd Place: Nevaeh Peterson
- 3rd Place: Samantha Hiscok
Best Speakers by Category:
- Category 1: Male – Levi Wight | Female – Renecia lovell
- Category 2: Male – Ishan Singh | Female – Rayshandra Soleana
- Category 3: Female – Zoë Thode
- Category 4: Male – David Da Costa | Female – Shayna Skinner
The public speaking competition highlighted the importance of youth having a voice, building confidence, and advocating for healthier choices within their community. The video competition engaged students from Saba Comprehensive School Forms 1 through 4, challenging them to creatively promote vaping prevention and awareness.
The video competition engaged students from Saba Comprehensive School Forms 1 through 4, challenging them to creatively promote vaping prevention and awareness.
Video Competition Results:
- 1st Place – Form 3: Best Overall Campaign, Best Visuals, and People’s Choice Award
- 2nd Place – Form 4: Best Video emphasizing community inclusion and engagement of multiple stakeholders
- 3rd Place – Form 2: Participation Award
- 4th Place – Form 1: Participation Award
The competition highlighted strong youth voices and creativity. As shared by the Form 1 students, “Your lungs matter more than the trend,” a message that resonated with the wider community and reinforced the importance of making healthy choices.
BE-SMART Program
In addition, the Public Health and Sports Department delivered the BE-SMART program at the Saba Comprehensive School throughout the month, addressing vaping, alcohol, drugs, marijuana, and addiction, while promoting informed, healthy decision-making.
Complementing these efforts were ongoing awareness initiatives, including weekly quizzes and educational messaging delivered by Uncle John, the Public Health mascot.
“Prevention starts with education. By addressing vaping, alcohol, and substance use early, we are empowering our youth to make informed decisions and reduce long-term health risks,” said Menno Bakker Manager of the Public Health and Sports Department.
This month-long initiative reflects a shared commitment to empowering the community, with the knowledge and tools needed to make positive life choices. By fostering open conversations and participation, the campaign highlighted the importance of prevention, education, and community support in addressing substance use.
Community members are encouraged to look out for more events and initiatives from the Parenting in Action (PIA) group, because if it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to support the parents of that child.
