While the summer season is considered a "break" from studies, Catalyst students are committed to continuing to advocate for teen health by meeting with local, county, and state officials. On Friday, July 13, Catalyst students Vrushali Thakkar, Noelle Kurien, and Alex Zhou met with Lanetta Haynes Turner, Deputy Chief of Staff, Cook County, IL for Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle to discuss why the commercialization of marijuana is detrimental to the health of youth.

While advocating and educating our community is critical to combating teen substance abuse, continuing to educate our coalition and exposing these education opportunities to Catalyst members is just as important. Every year, members of Stand Strong Coalition and Catalyst students travel to CADCA's Mid-year training to learn, share, and connect with coalitions nationwide, and in turn they bring back this knowledge to the rest of the Stand Strong and Catalyst members. This year, nine Catalyst students attended this year's conference held July 15 through 19th in Orlando, Florida. 

Stand Strong Coalition and Catalyst is committed to educating and advocating on behalf of teen health in our communities.

 by In September 2017, #Catalyst SHS students met with State Senator Julie Morrison to advocate on behalf of all youth.  They discussed the risks of e-cigarette use among youth and shared the benefits of Tobacco21 in Illinois.
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As a result of their meeting, Stevenson Catalyst Club members Borler Wu, Katherine Yao, Melissa Hauptman, and Ashleigh Machado traveled to Springfield this past Tuesday, January 30 where they participated in a press conference which included Illinois lawmakers Senator Julie Morrison, Senator John G. Mulroe, State Representative Camille Y. Lilly, State Representative Melissa Conyears-Ervin, American Heart Association - Illinois, and other health organizations to propose raising the tobacco purchasing age from 18 to 21 statewide by passing Senate Bill 2332.

The premise of the law is simple: Teens and young adults are likely to quit smoking, or never start, if they have to ask those 21 and older to buy cigarettes for them.

Catalyst member Borler Wu spoke at the press conference and continued to make the case for #Tobacco21 on behalf of Illinois youth everywhere.

Catalyst members then met with local legislatures to continue discussions about the proposed bill, including Senator Morrison, Senator Dan McConchie, State Representative Scott Drury, and State Representative Nick Sauer.

We are incredibly proud of the advocacy work Catalyst students are doing, and we will continue to support them on their goal to have the Tobacco 21 bill passed.