Z

Eleven Tullahoma City School students spent a portion of their summer at the Tennessee Teen Institute (TTI), which took place in June at the University of Tennessee at Martin.

More than 500 youth leaders from across the state took part in the five-day leadership and prevention camp sponsored by the Jackson Area Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (JACOA). The Teen Institute program addresses several teen issues through a peer-led prevention camp designed to provide participants with the skills and education necessary to develop and implement alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs in their communities.

The East and West Middle School students who attended the institute are part of a group called Sources of Strength, which works within their schools to help point fellow students to the various sources of strength available to every person. Prevention of mental health stressors and improving the overall school climate of our schools are primary goals for this group. The TCS students could attend the Tennessee Teen Institute after the district received the Tennessee Teen Scholarship and a grant from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. 

“The camp was an uplifting, high-energy experience focused on building teen confidence, encouraging personal growth, and fostering meaningful friendships,” said THS Nurse Lori Welch. “Adult leaders also participated in workshops that pushed us beyond our comfort zones, contributing to personal and professional growth. I especially enjoyed collaborating with fellow group leaders and gaining new ideas to bring back to our schools. As a next step, we plan to launch the Sources of Strength program at Tullahoma High School. I’m excited to see this group continue to grow and look forward to supporting students as they build confidence and cultivate lasting friendships.”

The Tennessee Teen Institute prepares students to make positive changes and be proud advocates of those changes. Students are each given a unique opportunity to have a voice in addressing issues that are important to them. Those attending are trained and empowered to prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and self-destructive behaviors in themselves and their peers. Giving youth some ownership in this type of program is one of the key factors in the success of enforcing a substance-free lifestyle.

“I was blessed to go to the Tennessee Teen Institute when I was a junior in high school, and I believe the institute is one of the reasons I do what I do today,” said EMS counselor Lee Brannon. “When I came to Tullahoma, my goal was to be able to take some students and hope it would do for them as it did for me. TTI gave our students the opportunity to come out of their comfort zones, engage with other students across Tennessee, learn new tools that will help them be leaders in their schools and communities, and, most importantly, gave them a sense of self. The students gained an understanding of the importance of giving back. The students came back with a plan to meet with the four elementary schools in our district and have a pep rally so they can share some of the tools they learned.”

Several TCS students echoed Brannon’s statements and said they are thankful they had the opportunity to attend the institute.

“The Tennessee Teen Institute allowed me to branch out and make new friends,” said Marilyn Lee, a freshman at Tullahoma High School. “It also showed me certain problems in the world and how they influence teens and other individuals.”

“TTI allowed me to expand and come out of my comfort zone, and it gave me a better understanding of topics, and what to do and not do,” said KaCee Bordenet, an eighth-grader at East Middle School. “It also allowed me to meet new people and really understand other people’s perspectives a little better.”

“The Tennessee Teen Institute helped me gain confidence in my social skills and helped me get to know the people around me,” said Kaleb Kirkpatrick, an eighth-grader at West Middle School. “It also showed me some serious topics and things I should and should not be doing. It was a pleasure to have that experience, and I hope to go again next year.”

The Tennessee Teen Institute is funded in part by grants from the TN Department of Health, the TN Department of Mental Health Division of Substance Abuse Services, the TN Highway Safety Office, and State Farm. JACOA is a nonprofit organization funded partly by the State of Tennessee and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

For more information about the Tennessee Teen Institute, visit www.tnteeninstitute.net.