STUDENTS AGAINST VIOLENCE EVERYWHERE ~
MEET THE 2007 - 2008 NATIONAL YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD (YAB) MEMBERS

Christian Gonzalez
School: Montbello High School, CO
Advisor: Kris Bethscheider
Grade: Senior
Title: Chair

Christian Gonzalez is a senior at Montbello High School in Denver, Colorado. This is Christian's third year in SAVE and her second year on the National Youth Advisory Board (YAB). Christian says, "SAVE made me realize that students have a huge say in what goes on in school, home and our community. We the students have the power to prevent violence."

"Being on the YAB was one of the things that have happened to me, meeting everybody and the whole experience was unforgettable". This will be her second year being President of her SAVE Chapter at Montbello High School. Christian and the Montbello SAVE Chapter have been actively giving back to their community; they participated in the community clean up where they had to clean the entire school campus. "I hope to accomplish alot this year, first off with the new YABers I hope to make a close bond and make them feel really comfortable in the YAB. I would like them to express their ideas, encourage them to speak what's on their mind. Be a positive leader. I know last year at first I felt a little weird because I was new and I didn't know what to expect and I kind of kept quiet for the most part, but now I'm a bit more outspoken. I hope to get alot of ideas for the year like for the summit and the service projects. I hope to have a broad range of ideas so we can have more to pick from. Also I would like to get more sponsors, so in that way we could do more with the YAB. And last I hope to grow as leader and person. This being my second and last year, I hope to have an impact on the YAB's, like Heather had one on me."

Christian received the Presidential Service Award for her work with SAVE in the 2006-2007 school year. She has presented on SAVE at national conferences including the 2006 and 2007 National SAVE Summits and the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) Conference.

This will be Christian's fourth year in JROTC; her third in the Women's Honor Platoon Drill Team, Varsity Color Guard and is the 10th Warrior Battalion Commander. She was on the JV Tennis team and likes to play volleyball and soccer. She is a member of the Montbello Chapter of the National Honor Society and is also involved with Get Real!/Red Cross, Foundations for Excellent Schools, EPYCS, Hip Hop Coalition, Environmental Learning for Kids, Metro Summer Science Scholars and ACES Scholars Program. Christian has earned various awards such as Superior Cadet Decoration Award, National Sojourners Award, Far Northeast Neighbors, Inc. "Celebrating Women" Award, Military Officers Association of America JROTC Award, Hutton Junior Fisheries Scholarship, and has earned the gold honor roll award for three years now. Christian plans to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder when she graduates from high school and major in pre-law, international studies and film studies with hopes of going to law school to become an immigration lawyer.

Christian volunteers time serving her community and school. She has tutored at local elementary schools with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado. She has participated in the Veteran's Day Parade for three years now and also participated in the Far Northeast Neighbors Parade for her community. "Volunteering helped me give back to my community and gave me a sense of pride, just by doing a little bit, it helps a lot". In addition to that she has volunteered in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for two years now which has had a huge impact in her life. "At the Race for the Cure I learned that you can overcome your obstacles no matter how high or how big they seem, you can overcome them if you just set your mind to it. Many of the breast cancer survivors gave me hope, if they can beat a life-threatening disease, I can get through anything". more

Amber Bivins
School: Chapel Hill High School, NC
Grade: Junior

Amber Bivins is a junior at Chapel Hill High School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This is her second year in SAVE and her first year serving on the National Youth Advisory Board. Amber became involved in SAVE while trying out different clubs on her school's club day. She was so intrigued by SAVE that it was one of the few clubs that she decided to stick with. She loves the fact that SAVE does services that relay messages, like non-violence. Amber states "When peers see us taking our own stances on these topics, they themselves will be motivated to do the same. It really makes me happy to see other kids pay attention to the things that we have to say."

Amber's SAVE chapter has been active in conducting awareness activities regarding school and youth violence. They have conducted activities to reduce underage drinking and performed service projects with the elderly as well as beautification projects.

Amber hopes to get students thinking about their futures and how what they do now can affect them later. She wants students to become aware of the problems of society so that they can help prevent them. Ms. Bivins believes that "ignorance does not excuse wrong doings and it is partly the job of SAVE to help spread the word." Amber truly enjoys doing services for others and SAVE has been the channel for helping her to accomplish what she has done.

Amber is involved in Student Government as a school senator and a homeroom representative. She is in Youth Leadership Institute and is traveling to Africa to work with the Peace Corps Ghana. She was captain of the women's soccer team and was inducted into the National French Honors Society. She enjoys traveling and playing soccer. In her free time she likes to hike, bike and picnic in the park. more

Brehanna Jordan
School: North Chicago High School, IL
Advisor: Tameeca Russell
Grade: Sophomore

Brehanna Jordan is a sophomore at North Chicago Community High School in North Chicago, Illinois. This is her third year involved in SAVE and her first year as a member of the National Youth Advisory Board (YAB). She is excited to be President of her local SAVE chapter for the 2007-2008 school year. She would describe herself as a fun, loving person who is committed to completing the task on hand.

She encourages her peers to prevent violence by getting more involved in positive activities and programs. She believes that young people need to be more positive about LIFE. Many students engage in negative activities because they are just simply bored. She agrees that violence affects the entire community. It is not just the victim's family that grieves. A "Youth March" would be ideal because it would allow neighborhoods to come together and develop unity. She wants to be part of a team that believes that they can make a difference in violence prevention. She plans to recruit and encourage her peers to join the task. As a member of the National SAVE Youth Advisory Board, Brehanna wants to bring the ideas, experiences, excitement to North Chicago and held lead the local chapter. "I will attempt to replicate programs and activities that I learn from the National level in North Chicago."

She is involved in many positive activities such as the Jr. National Honors Society, Student Council, North Chicago Leadership Academy and XPLORE Technology Program. She enjoys being a Cheerleader for the football and basketball Teams. She also received first place for the 19th Judicial Circuit Court "Stop the Violence" poster contest. more

Kalynn Kowitz
School: Wilmot Union High School, WI
Advisor: Juliet Lena
Grade: Sophomore

Kalynn Kowitz is a sophomore at Wilmot Union High School. In 2004, Kalynn was involved with the 2nd Annual "Be Violence Free" event in North Chicago, IL. That is where she was introduced to SAVE, and represented the Chapter on WGN Channel 9's news broadcast.

This is her first year as a member of the SAVE Youth Board. She is also currently assisting Ms. Lena in organizing a SAVE Chapter at Wilmot High School. Kalynn says, "During this past school year there has been so much violence in schools across America. By forming a new SAVE Chapter at Wilmot, I hope to help our community and school take a stand against violence."

Kalynn received a scholarship in 2006 to attend the Girls Leadership Institute, a two week summer camp held at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hampton, MA. GLI is run by Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out and Odd Girl Speaks Out. She's an avid fan of Anime, enjoys swimming and loves working with animals. Kalynn plans to study zoology when she graduates from high school. more

Wesley Rossdeutscher
School: Chandler High School, OK
Advisor: Diann Herman
Grade: Senior

  Wesley Rossdeutscher is a senior at Chandler High School in Oklahoma. This is Wesley's third year in SAVE and his first year on the National Youth Advisory Board. As a member of the National Youth Advisory Board, Wes hopes to: "reach out to teens in a fresh new way and warn them about violence. I hope to do this by working with other YAB members as a group." Wes has served as a Senior Leader/Mentor, Junior SAVE Leader, and Senior SAVE Leader with his chapter at Chandler. Wesley states: "I have deeply enjoyed my time in SAVE and would recommend it to anyone out there that would want to make any kind of difference in the world."

Wesley participates in Positive Peers, Spanish Club, Student Council, Newspaper, Chemistry Club, and Newspaper. He was an Oklahoma Boystater this summer and had lots of fun while he was there. Wesley has been in three musicals: Annie Get Your Gun, Bye Bye Birdie, and his all time favorite, Grease.

Mr. Rossdeutscher plans on majoring in communications or journalism when he graduates. In his spare time he works at three part time jobs: mowing the lawn for the hospital, sacking groceries at the local grocery store and works with a restraunt in Oklahoma City. more

Casey Story
School: Garner Magnet High School, NC
Advisor:
Grade: Freshman

Casey Story is a freshman at Garner Magnet High School in North Carolina. This year will be Casey's fourth year in SAVE and her first year on the National Youth Advisory Board. Ms. Story was awarded the National SAVE Middle School Student of the Year for 2006-2007 as well as the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Casey has always been interested in violence prevention.

As a SAVE member, and just as a person, Casey does all she can to prevent and end violence. She tries to befriend all kinds of people, especially those who are bullied and is there to defend others to prevent fights and more bullying. Casey performs community service projects and gets others involved to make her community more violence-free. Miss Story assisted her SAVE chapter in conducting a peace rally for her school and coordinated a SAVE Summit for rising sixth graders in the community. Casey has served as a committee chair person for Safe Schools Week in 2007, committee chairperson for the rising 6th Graders Summit in 2007, and assistant chairperson for the Summit in April of 2006. She has developed different lesson plans for workshops for the summit, including ones for Community Service and Leadership, and took the lead role in creating the Cooperative Games Workshop at the National SAVE Summit in 2007.

As a National Youth Advisory Board Member, Casey hopes to "make the National SAVE Summit even more beneficial to the people who come by making it both more educational and more fun. I want to use my creativity to make the National SAVE Summit 2008 unforgettable."

Casey has been active with Beta Club, Spanish Club, different Drama productions, Girl Scouts and with her Church Youth Group. She believes that constructive activities is one of the many ways to prevent violence and tries to get others involved with SAVE too. Miss Story received the East Garner Community Service Award in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006, the Character Trait Award (Integrity) in March of 2005, the Character Trait Award in 2006, the Math Achievement Award in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. more

Katie Weart
School: Central Cabarrus High School, NC
Advisor: Officer Buckwell
Grade: Freshman

Katherine (Katie) Weart is a freshman at Central Cabarrus High School in Concord, North Carolina. She has been involved with the SAVE program as long as she can remember. In fact, she "starred" in a Public Service Announcement for SAVE, filmed in her nursery when she was only two years old! This is because her father, Gary Weart, has been involved closely with SAVE from the very beginning. She has performed a variety of community service activities during her involvement with SAVE in both her elementary and middle school years.

Katie is very excited about re-kindling the SAVE chapter at her new high school and working closely with the Principal Mr. Mitchell and Officer Buckwell, the School Resource Officer. In addition, she plans to contact former SAVE members at other high schools that were with her in middle school to further spread the SAVE message.

Ms. Weart loves to read, enjoys art, and recently began playing the guitar. Katie is participating in various enrichment activities including Shakespeare, Science Fiction, Clay Creations, Song Writing and Production, and Woven Wonders. Katie enjoys traveling, the beach, swimming, and cooking. Katie has an older brother and sister who were actively involved in SAVE when they were in school. Katie says that "SAVE has really impacted my life by making me think twice before I act and I try to do the right thing always." more

For Further Information:
If you are interested in serving on the National SAVE Youth Advisory Board you can call the National Association of SAVE at (919) 661-7800 or 866-343-SAVE.

National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere SAVE: Youth Voices... Grown-Up Choices! Toll Free 866-343-SAVE For more information contact cwray@nationalsave.org   /   Copyright 2007