Vinton Moose Lodge welcomes International Youth Awareness Congress

By Debbie Adams

On April 28, the Vinton Moose Family Center hosted 60 students from around the United States
and Canada for the 38th annual International Youth Awareness Congress. The students, with
support from Virginia Moose Association and Moose International Fraternity volunteers, spent
four days in the Roanoke area participating in the Youth Awareness program, which culminated
in the awarding of five scholarships worth a total of $30,000.

The Vinton Moose treated the students to a spaghetti dinner, some fun activities, and the awards
ceremony. In the days before, the group had toured the National D-Day Memorial, Natural
Bridge, the Pinball Museum in Roanoke, and more. They had also been treated to meals and
activities with the Salem and Bedford Moose Lodges from dance competitions to Bingo to
movies.

The Youth Awareness Program is restricted to students in 9th to 12th grades. The process for
joining the program begins with an online application.

To qualify to attend the Youth Awareness Congress, the students had developed and presented
three “Moose Kids Talks” to groups of 4- to 9-year-olds in their communities, encouraging them
to make wise and healthy choices in life.

For nearly 30 years, the Moose has organized high school students for these KidsTalks
presentations with the goal of educating, inspiring, and empowering preschool and elementary
school-aged children on a variety of topics including drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse,
“stranger danger,” bullying and peer pressure, and healthy habits and nutrition. The talks are
presented to children in elementary schools, Scout groups, day cares, Sunday School classes,
Boys and Girls Clubs, and other organizations.

The high school students choose a topic of their choice, develop a lesson plan, schedule and
deliver the presentations to groups of varying sizes, and evaluate their impact on the younger
students they worked with.

This program helps the presenters develop life skills involving organization, research, time
management, communication, public speaking, and mentorship. Over time, the Kids Talk
educational programs have reached an audience of more than 800,000 children throughout North
America

“Moose Kids Talks” presentations run from late August through February each year. After each
“Kids Talk,” the students are required to submit a written report to the Moose, telling about their
presentation and experience. In early March, students attend the Association Student Congress
where their presentations are judged by their peers, and one or more from each Moose
Association is invited to attend the International Student Congress.

The International Youth Congress is a student-run meeting, which encompasses about 13 hours
over a four-day period (this year from April 27-29). At the end of the Congress, the students vote
for the top five presenters with the most impactful messages, and those winners are awarded
scholarships.

The Youth Awareness Congress traces its beginnings to First Lady Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say
No to Drugs” campaign and has expanded since.

The guests at the Youth Awareness Congress meeting at the Moose Lodge in Vinton were
welcomed by Mayor Brad Grose, Vinton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and Moose
Lodge supporter Angie Chewning, and Vinton Moose Family Center officers.

Virginia Moose Association Chairman and Youth Awareness Chair Manny Propst emceed the
event. He commended students for achieving their goal of making it to the International
Congress level.

According to Moose International, “The Moose Youth Awareness Program reaffirms our
commitment to providing today for a better tomorrow. The future rests in the hands, hearts and
minds of our children.”

Propst noted that the students in this year’s Congress were a very diverse group and very
passionate. Some had been involved in the program in previous years. All were winners at the
state level before advancing to the annual Congress.

This year’s scholarship winners who were announced at the Vinton Moose Family Center on
April 28 were: first place, Quang Ho ($12,000, California); second place, Ivy Lin ($8,000,
Virginia, who will be attending Yale); third place, Kamal Haddad ($5,000, California); fourth
place, Malayna Waine ($3,000, Oregon); and fifth place, Baltazar Avila ($2,000, Arizona). The
scholarships (funded by the Moose organization) awarded to participants may be used at
accredited trade schools, colleges, and universities.

• Quang Ho developed his program on “giving and helping other people in general.”
• Ivy Lin’s presentation is on “self-perception.”
• Kamal Haddad’s topic is “misinformation and rumors online.”
• Malayna Waine’s presentation is on “utilizing safety with medications, introducing drug
  safety to kids.”
• Baltazar Avila’s presentation emphasizes that “dreams do come true.”

Moderator/coach Austin Shifflett of Greene County, Va., who entered the Youth Awareness
Program as a freshman in high school, shared some insights on the program and the opportunities
it offers. He has been able to travel and meet fellow students from all over the country and form
enduring friendships. Participation has expanded his resume uniquely and provided scholarships
for his education (Harvard, Class of 2024, and now a small business advisor). He has continued
to work with the Youth Awareness program in his college years, because he enjoys the
experience and wants to help the program expand.

Shifflett emphasized that this is not a Moose recruitment program, although he has become a
member himself. “It’s a program for students, by students, and all about students.”
Visit www.vmayouthawareness.org for more information. The local Moose Lodges encourage
students in the Vinton and Roanoke area schools to submit applications for the program.