For the past couple of years, I have had the pleasure of serving on the West Virginia Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being. The WV Partnership is “A Statewide Alliance Working to Address Substance Abuse and Related Issues in West Virginia.“ I served in the capacity as a state high school student and was able to give perspective from a student’s point of view on issues involving substance abuse. Below was my letter of resignation that I gave at the second quarterly meeting of the WV Partnership:

Friday, July 16, 2010

Christian A. Martine
283 Far Country Drive
Daniels, WV 25832-9008

VIA HAND DELIVERY
Mr. Mike Lacy, Chair
WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being

Dear Mr. Lacy:

Pursuant to the provisions of Executive Order Number 8-04, I hereby notify you that I have graduated from Shady Spring High School and therefore no longer qualify to serve as a “representative currently a student at a State high school” on the West Virginia Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being.

Serving on the West Virginia Partnership has been an honor and a privilege during my tenure. I am proud to be a part of a group whose mission is as noble as it is essential to the continuity of the quality of life in our great State.

Through the joint cooperation of state and local leaders, the West Virginia Partnership has been and will continue to be a resource in the fight against substance abuse. I hope that I have been of service to the Governor and to the West Virginia Partnership by bringing the point of view of a student and youth activist striving for a healthier and safer life for West Virginians.

Thank you for being a wonderful facilitator to the West Virginia Partnership. I wish you and all members a blessed career of service. With kindest personal regards, I am

Very truly yours,

Christian A. Martine

cc: The Honorable Joe Manchin, III
Governor

View original letter

“…and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of the West Virginia Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being to the best of my skill and judgment, SO HELP ME GOD.”

View more pictures and documents here. See the story on WVNS.

Press Release

For the past three days, I have had the honor and privilege to plan the 2009 West Virginia Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) State Conference along side other members of the West Virginia Student Leadership Council (SLC). On November 15, over 200 SADD students from all around West Virginia will make their way to Cedar Lakes in Ripley, WV to embark on a packed three day program to educate teens about the issues affecting their areas and how they can make a difference.

In addition to planning conference, we had some great brainstorming and planning sessions. The SLC is divided into the Field Services and Programming teams. The Field Services team is concentrated on recruiting new SADD students, creating new SADD chapters, and connecting with outside organizations. The Programming team is concentrated on developing new and exciting programs to implement in SADD chapters and programs.

To further the development of West Virginia SADD, the Field Services team has chosen to use the four regions of the West Virginia Prevention Resource Center as their own. The adopted regions will assist West Virginia SADD to network with city and county leaders. This connection will allow individual SADD chapters to not only connect with their communities, but with the other chapters in the state. Other plans made by the Field Services team include having an annual report written by the SLC, an updated database with every school in the state with and without a SADD chapter, and the creation of more SADD chapters in elementary, middle, and high schools.

The Programming team is working on a publication ab0ut the modern activities that any SADD chapter can do. To make the publication more effective, the Programming team is connecting each project to one or more of the six prevention strategies: information dissemination, education, alternatives, problem identification and referral, environment, and community-based process.

Both the Field Services and Programming teams realize that the Internet is the top communication medium for young people. Therefore, a larger investment in the West Virginia SADD Web site, Facebook page, Twitter, and other social network pages is being considered.

All in all, these three days have been great. I’ve gotten to know my fellow SLC member a lot better, learned much about the drug prevention organizatins in West Virginia, and had a great time in the process. Hope to see you at the state conference!

I had been looking forward to the SADD National Conference all summer. I cannot speak enough about how much I learned from just being in attendance. From the moment I arrived, I could feel the excitement in the air. This year’s theme was “Climbing the Hill.” It had a double meaning. First, since we were in Washington, D.C., it represented climbing Capitol Hill. Second, it represented climbing the hill of positive decision making and striving above destructive decisions. At SADD National Conference, I gained many new friends, learned more about the problems today’s teens face, and learned much about myself.

First and foremost, one of the best parts about attending the national conference was meeting new, interesting people. Everyone there valued and lived by SADD’s principles; because of this simple fact, meeting new friends was a piece of cake. Furthermore, from these new friends I gained many new project ideas and activities that I can use for my own SADD chapter.

Second, the knowledge that I gained from workshops was irreplaceable. Every year at the national conference, many organizations come in and educate SADD students on the issues that teens face. Many times, the workshops I sat in spoke of a topic that I was scarcely familiar with, but nevertheless was one vitally important. This year, I sat in a workshop on inhalant abuse. I knew inhalant abuse was a problem, but was curious to what extent it was. I had no idea that over one quarter of middle school students had abused inhalants. Finding out how large of a problem inhalant abuse is has inspired me to make prevention one of the key parts of my SADD chapter’s projects.

Third, I learned a lot about who I am as a person. Sometimes, trying to be a “SADD” student is very difficult in today’s world. It can be easy to question yourself when everyone and everything around you seems to be the polar opposite of what you stand for and are working toward. Being with other SADD students was great inspiration. I was reminded that I am not alone in the fight to advocate constructive decisions. Moreover, I learned that other people felt the same way. Overall, it is important to stick with being a “SADD” student even when it seem like all is against you. Just remember that what is right isn’t always popular and what is popular isn’t always right. Trust your instincts!

I had an amazing time at SADD National Conference. As a member of the incoming Executive Committee of the Student Leadership Council, I look forward to working with SADD students across the country and carrying out the SADD mission. Conference truly inspired me and I would highly encourage any student to attend!

For more information on SADD and how you can become involved, visit sadd.org.