Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project

YADAPP (Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project) is a youth leadership program empowering teens to become involved in keeping their schools and communities alcohol and drug free. Each year YADAPP holds its summer leadership conference for hundreds of high school students and adults.

Students at YADAPP have an opportunity to listen to nationally acclaimed motivational speakers, participate in workshops and create plans to solve alcohol and drug-related issues in their schools and communities.

How Much Will it Cost?

The cost of taking a team to YADAPP is only $300 this year. That works out to be only $60 each for a four-member team and an adult sponsor. (This is a 40 percent discount from past years!) The registration fee includes room, board, workshops, speakers and all the fun that comes with the YADAPP summer leadership conference!

What’s the Wheeler Award?

The Wheeler Award recognizes successful, youth-led substance abuse and violence prevention efforts by any Virginia high school or community organization. Congratulations to the 2011 recipients: Garfield High School (Woodbridge) and Mayor’s Youth Leaders in Action (Virginia Beach). Visit www.yadapp.com to find out more about the Wheeler Award and how your team can apply for the 2012 award!

Looking Back

2011 brought “Super Heroic” success to the 27th annual YADAPP Conference. Teens and their adult sponsors were super charged and super enthusiastic about Y-Guy the Super Hero! The Adventures of Y-Guy theme carried through the full schedule of activities, workshops and speeches, all focused on empowering youth to prevent substance abuse and violence in their schools and communities. Another successful year in YADAPP history!

Who’s Invited to YADAPP?

• High school teams of four with at least one adult sponsor;
• Rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors; and
• Community coalitions.

Mission

Since high school students are primarily influenced by their peers, they have the capacity to become positive leaders in preventing violence and the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs among youth. YADAPP's mission is to empower Virginia's youth to assume positive peer leadership roles in their schools and communities through the implementation of youth-led action plans. YADAPP seeks to develop youth leadership in order to further substance abuse and violence prevention efforts at the state, regional and local level.

History

Since 1984, YADAPP has impacted the lives of thousands of students throughout Virginia. More than 440 different high schools and community organizations have participated in this unique, youth-led leadership project.

• YADAPP began in 1984 as a partnership between the Virginia Department of Education (DOE), the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services, (now the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, DBHDS), and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
• Since 1995, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has partnered with other agencies to produce YADAPP. From 2002 to 2009, the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services' (DCJS) Virginia Center for School Safety served as lead coordinator. In 2009, Virginia ABC became lead coordinator for YADAPP and owner of YADAPP.com.

Visit Us on Facebook!

Become a friend of the YADAPP Guy on Facebook, the official YADAPP Facebook page.

Contact Us

For more information, please contact Katie Weaks, Virginia ABC Education Section, at (804) 213-4593, FAX (804) 213-4457, or e-mail education@abc.virginia.gov