RD127 - Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth 2015 Annual Report


Executive Summary:
I am pleased to report to you that the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth continued to make a positive impact on the health of young people across Virginia during 2015.

Y Street, our nationally recognized youth-led volunteer group for high school students, participated in several important initiatives this year, including our first 24/7 Tobacco-Free Spirit Day, held on Nov. 18, 2015. Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, a former member of the VFHY Board of Trustees, helped us kick off this statewide celebration of tobacco-free schools with an event in Virginia Beach. With the help of Y Street volunteers who are speaking to their school boards and principals, more school systems across Virginia are adopting comprehensive, 100 percent tobacco-free schools policies, but there are still many more to go.

Our Y Street youth also helped out on May 15, 2015, at our third annual Rev Your Bev Day, which raises awareness of the health effects of sugary drinks. Due in part to VFHY’s efforts, a growing number of young people in Virginia are choosing to reduce their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

We are proud of the progress we’ve made. By promoting active, nutritious and tobacco-free living, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth empowers Virginia’s youth to make healthy choices.

We must, however, remain vigilant. As new children reach the age of experimentation with smoking, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth will continue to be there for them, keeping up with their ever-changing youth culture and helping them to grow into happy, healthy adults.

Thank you for your continued support of VFHY and Virginia’s children.

Sincerely,

/s/ Marty H. Kilgore
Executive Director
Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth