Russellville High School students Ally Willis, Kennedy Palmer, Lynsi Bragwell and Ariel Cummings attended the 11th Annual Alabama Youth Council on Oct. 7.

On Oct. 7, the 11^th Annual Alabama Youth Council (AYC) was held at the Renaissance Hotel and Spa at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre (MPAC) where approximately 795 people from across the state of Alabama gathered to promote healthy behaviors among Alabama teens.

Russellville High School was among the schools that attended the AYC and was represented by its student leaders, as well as chaperones.

Special guests at the 11^th Annual AYC included Patrick George, “I Challenge You;” Brian Earley, “Think2Change;” and Tom Robertson and Hewitt-Trussville High School, “Talk About It. Break the Silence. Make a Difference.” Hewitt-Trussville High School was the 2014 AYC host school.

FOCUS was also proud to present the Keynote Address: “Story of My Life” by Kyle Scheele. Rather than lecturing students with a list of what NOT to do, Kyle shows students how their lives will be defined by the things they DO: the actions they take, the people they help, and the lives that they change. Through side-splitting humor and personal stories from his own life, Kyle shows students how to overcome the difficulties in their lives.

They AYC offered the great opportunity for student leaders in grades 8-12 to learn about leading prevention of bullying, teen pregnancy, HIV, and other adolescent risk behaviors in their school and communities. Students left equipped with the knowledge needed to educated peers about the importance of preventing adolescent risk behaviors.

Educators received professional development through the Alabama State Department of Education STI-PD and social worker CEUs were provided by the Alabama Board of Social Work.