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Students share recovery and resilience stories in You Matter program presentation to commissioners
Summary
High-school members of the You Matter program delivered personal stories to the commission, emphasizing peer pressure, bullying, family trauma and prevention messages for local youth.
Members of the You Matter youth outreach program appeared before the San Juan County commissioners on April 15 to share personal stories about bullying, peer pressure, domestic trauma and online exploitation, and to describe the program's school-based activities.
Vicki Campbell, program coordinator, said the program is in its 17th year in San Juan County and that 21 team members work in schools to deliver assemblies, peer-group supports and community outreach. "We hand out little trading cards, and we try to inspire kids, that they can get through hard things and they can make a difference," Campbell said.
Four student presenters from local high schools told personal accounts of recovery and resistance to risky behavior. Ashby Pandia (San Juan College High School) read a poem about recovering from bullying and finding a faith-based path to avoid substance use. McKenna (Farmington High School) described yielding to peer pressure in middle school, learning from the experience and later ending a risky friendship. Grama Stradling (FHS) recounted domestic violence in her family and the loss of custody of a parent; she urged youth to seek safety and help. Aidan described an online scam that led to thousands of dollars being spent and the importance of telling trusted adults early to avoid harm.
Campbell said the program meets weekly with student leaders, concentrates outreach in the fall before senior year, and attends community events to provide younger children with positive role models. Commissioners praised the students for sharing their stories and noted the program's role in prevention and youth resilience.
Why it matters: First-person accounts by student leaders provide local context on peer pressure, online exploitation and family trauma affecting youth. County officials acknowledged the program as a community-based prevention resource and commended its role linking students to supportive adults.
The commissioners asked about scheduling and frequency; Campbell said the team runs assemblies in the fall and meets with students weekly as schedules allow.
