The SADD conference last week at Skidmore College was a wonderful opportunity for the group to learn more about how to help our school and the community.

There were many different workshops for us to choose from that would expand our knowledge on their subjects. Examples include Mental Health and Wellness which taught us how to distinguish people who may have problems;  we learned what and how to ask if they are alright and what to do if they aren’t.

Another was Sweethearts and Heroes which was a workshop that featured our keynote speakers Tom Murphy, who placed 2nd in the nation at the NCAA wrestling tournament in ‘97, and Rick Yarosh a retired sergeant with the Army who sustained major burns on 60% of his body. They spread their message by teaching bystander empowerment and how to #changetheworld.

Before the keynote and the workshops we were able to walk around to different tables and learn more about issues like smoking, drugs, and teenage gambling. This was super informative and we got free stuff so it was a win win.

At the end of the workshops we made our way to lunch and a dance party. All the schools got to dance together and have a grand time. This trip was a great opportunity to learn about things we aren’t taught in school. It’s good to know how to help people in or out of school.