Contra Costa County Office of Education

Our TUPE youth development programs provide young people with opportunities to experience first-hand the role of envisioning and creating schools and communities free from tobacco use and the harms caused by tobacco. 

We actively center young people and youth voice in our work work and partner with young people in a way that sustains intergenerational equity.

Our youth development programs include: 

• Countywide CourAGE Youth Health Coalition: We established CourAGE in 2013 to ensure student leadership at the countywide level. CourAGE is youth-directed and plays a leadership role in addressing tobacco and other substance use related issues. Members are in grades 8-12 and represent schools across the county. Past projects include countywide contests, conference workshops, and community-level advocacy. 
• TUPE Peer Educators: Each year we train hundreds of students in grades 6-12 as tobacco prevention peer educators and these students go on to reach their peers through school-based presentations and events.

 

Friday Night Live (FNL) builds partnerships for positive and healthy youth development which engage youth as active leaders and resources in their communities.

 

 

• Chapters: A group of committed young people and adult ally working together to provide skill development, opportunities, and outreach. 
• Opportunities: Any safe environment or avenue in which youth and adults accomplish a project or task in partnership, with shared power and ownership.
• Outreach: Engages youth, adults, and systems in building the partnerships that create positive and healthy youth development.
• Skill Development: Purposeful activities and opportunities that promote or result in building skills, mastery, resiliency, and core competencies.

 

1st Place Winner: Ify Chidi, Grade 12, Heritage High School, Liberty Union High School District