STUDENT VOICE by Mariana Garcia Hello, my name is Mariana Garcia, and I attend Har-Ber High School in Northwest, Arkansas. This is my sixth year in EAST. This organization has impacted my life since the first
year I joined. It gave me a new perspective on how to help others. As a sixth-grader, I was timid and not very vocal in academic or social settings. EAST helped me grow out of that. It showed me that I could help the people around me with my ideas and talents.
From the start, my facilitator was terrific; my sixth grade year was also the first year I went to EAST Conference. This is when all EAST programs and community partners around the country come together to share what they have accomplished. When I look back at how EAST has helped me grow, that first year at EAST Conference sticks out the most. All the things I didn't think I would be able to do, I accomplished that year with the help of my peers. It is astonishing to think of how many things we created and did for our community that made an enormous impact. Attending EAST Conference opened my eyes to all the fantastic things that were in store for this organization.
A project that was a turning point in my life was the
Youth Coalition project I worked on in middle and junior high school. I worked with the Northwest Arkansas 4
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Tobacco and Drug-Free Coalition (NWATDFC) to figure out how to reduce substance abuse, like smoking, alcohol, and drugs, among teens. After reviewing the data they provided, we learned that high school students had a higher level of substance abuse than other groups. Our goal was to educate students early on the effects of substance abuse so that the number would not continue to increase in that age range. We traveled to Washington, DC, to further our mission and learn other ways to help the community. Taking this trip without my parents, just my facilitator and a peer, gave me a remarkable sense of independence. We are a close family, and I don't do much without them, so this was a big deal. I was able to attend the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) forum and I went to Capitol Hill to speak with Senator (John) Boozman and Representative (Steve) Womack to address the issues in a congressional meeting. These opportunities enhanced my public speaking skills, problem-solving skills, and maturity because it demonstrated that I had a voice and was not afraid to use it to help others. I still work with the NWATDFC at Har-Ber. EAST made it all possible.
I have had the honor of attending amazing schools