Students Attend Youth Summit Devoted to Change

Members of a Swampscott High School club devoted to making good decisions went to a youth summit this week held by Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.

The summit, "Pass It On, Be An Agent of Positive Change," was at the Double Tree Hotel in Danvers attended by about 100 high school students from schools including Swampscott, Lynn English, Salem, Peabody and Manchester Essex, said Abby Price, a Swampscott High junior and co-president of the high school's Students Against Destructive Decisions club.

Swampscott School Resource Officer and SADD Advisor Rose Cheever brought Abby and SADD co-president Keila Cox, as well as sophomores Anya Peterson, Julia Potter, Mackenzie Robertson, Nikki Rose and Jessica Potter to listen to a motivational speaker.

The speaker was Al Duncan, a youth advocate and author of My Success Journal and Get All Fired Up.

"What made the biggest impression on me was that we have 100 percent power to control our lives and designs based on the choices we make for ourselves," said Abby. "Our destiny lies in our personal choices and decisions."

Swampscott SADD meets once or twice a month.

Their work includes combatting bullying and raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking.

Next, on March 20, the club will attend a rally at the State House, "Kick Butts Day."

The rally will raise awareness about dangers posed by tobacco, especially for teenagers, and protest the role that big tobacco companies play in marketing their product.