YAC members are leaders of the leadership groups in each district. They meet as a team to address common issues, help design each other’s projects , and participate in a county-wide strategic planning process for youth leadership. YAC’s mission is: Youth empowering youth throughout Geauga county communities to create a healthy lifestyle for themselves and future generations through demonstration of prevention and leadership skills.

In the fall six school and community leaders participated in Adult Leader Training in Columbus, in part teaching community and school partners how to play a role in community prevention. Two representatives from Geauga ESC and Lake Geauga Recovery Center also attended three training academy workshops to create a plan for Youth Led Prevention programs in the county.

One of the outcomes of this training has been the first county-wide youth advisor council (Geauga YAC) representing 4 school districts and 8 leaders, and multiple school and community prevention projects below.

Geauga YAC projects:

1) Peer support/peer mentoring programs at Cardinal and Berkshire schools

2) Mock Accident- Cardinal Schools

3) Community Clean up day- Burton, Ohio

4) Color Walk for diversity, acceptance and awareness- all districts

1) Youth Summit- September 2015 marked the 4th year of Lake-Geauga YLP Youth Summit. In 2015 Summit saw 156 youth leaders and advisers from 13 school districts trained in community resources, leadership skills, and topics of the day such as depression/suicide, health and wellness, bullying, and addiction.

2) Alex Sheen-“Because I said I Would” presentation was scheduled by YLP in five Geauga County schools serving over 5000 students. Geauga ESC provided suggested follow up activities, and met with leadership advisors in each school to motivate in-school leadership in keeping Alex’s message in the forefront for the balance of the school year.

3) Camp Burton Leadership Camp for 7th and 8th graders took place in May and September 2016. 15 Lake and Geauga County middle schools are invited to send selected middle school leaders to attend the 2-day camp experience. Camp counselors are Geauga YAC leaders and other high school leadership students trained in prevention, assets and camp goals and activities.

4) Leadership Training: Schedule for March 18. This is the first of three annual trainings for high school leaders. Training encompasses building mentoring relationships, communication skills, community resources, business communication and collaborative decision making to name a few.

Community and School Pilot programs

-Cardinal Middle School Asset classroom program. Eighteen developmental asset based sessions designed based on needs identified in multiple Geauga County surveys and strategic plans. 

-Cardinal Family Fest is sponsoring a family fun night out to support the asset message. Event is scheduled for February 2, 2017.