On Friday the 7th of June, on a sunny day up on Chestnut Ridge, the 2024 iteration of Prevention Works had their orientation. Fourteen students from all over Barbour County assembled to start their stint working for New Vision and for themselves. Aged between 12
Aged between 12 and 17, our students learnt the dress code-long pants and boots for tick protection, the times 9 til 1 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
A little of the history of the program New Vision has run since 2020, when Covid stopped mission trips from reaching Barbour County, Ruston saw in the youth untapped potential as well as a need.
As our studies done with the schools note, too many students in Barbour County are bored and unsupervised. New Vision had jobs that needed doing. So for a stipend every day, the youth of Prevention Works get a summer job and education about drug use and abuse!
Since June 7th, the students have attended a youth empowerment conference at Marshall University, hosted a pool party, handed out boxes of food at Philippi Middle School, and heard from 10 speakers on topics from mental health, to financial management, to asset development, to jobs available to them here in West Virginia.
They’ve put in back breaking hours in the sun, cooled off in the pool, and chugged chocolate milk when their boss told them not to. They’ve gotten to know each other better and competed to see who can get the most boxes in the most cars. They’ve even broken at least one pair of sunglasses and moved a washer and dryer combo.
One of those workers who has excelled this season is Logan Leland Dalton. This is Logan’s second year participating in Prevention Works after he took a summer off last year to attend a camp.
When he grows up he wants to be a mechanic because “that’s where the money is” and he also thinks it would be fun. His personal goal right now is saving for a car. His dream for where he’d be in 5 years is attending UNOH, a technical school in Ohio that has a track out back.
Logan’s hobbies include working out and playing on his phone. Logan is adopted and recognizes that while his life is tough, he can’t give up. His work ethic has shined through this summer and we’re proud to recognize him as the worker of the month!
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