In about a month, East Aurora High School graduate Briana Novella will be heading off to Concordia University to major in social work, taking with her many of the leadership skills she learned in high school.
As the first recipient of the Bridging the Gap East Aurora Operation Snowball leadership scholarship, Novella received the award for her “dedication and consistent presence as a leader embodying the mission of Operation Snowball,” according to Operation Snowball officials.
A teen-led tobacco, alcohol and drug prevention group, Operation Snowball has been a part of East Aurora since 1996.
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This program teaches kids that it is a lifestyle choice to be tobacco and drug free, however, it also teaches kids that it is a life choice to “be positive, stay healthy, believe in yourself, and be kind,” Teresa Rosa Jackson, the executive director of Bridging the Gap East Aurora Operation Snowball, said.
It is such a positive atmosphere that gives kids the empowerment and strength to say they are beyond the bad influences, she added.
Recently, Bridging the Gap was added to the name which serves to bring a workforce development and leadership component to the club.
Now known as Bridging the Gap East Aurora Operation Snowball, another goal of the organization is assist students tie their education to a career.
Many former leaders of East Aurora’s Operation Snowball have become residential assistants in college and some have even started college chapters of Operation Snowball, Jackson said.
In addition, many former Operation Snowball participants have pursued careers that serve others such as social workers, teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters, she added.
Throughout the school year, each Thursday, the group meets in a classroom at East Aurora with the goal of not lecturing the kids on why they shouldn’t use drugs or alcohol, but rather showing them why not and ways to live a healthy lifestyle.
“Life can be hard for kids,” Jackson said.
The program teaches the kids how important it is to have a happy place where they can celebrate who they are.
Involved with the program since she was a freshman, Novella said, the organization’s goal is to create a non-judgmental safe zone.
This year, Novella was instrumental in coordinating a lock-in that raised money for an East Aurora High School’s survivor literature class project “Out of Darkness” that raised awareness for suicide prevention.
In addition to serving as president of the club this year which required her and her fellow leaders to implement the workshops at each meeting, Novella also decided to conduct a resume building workshop for students after she created her own resume.
Cathy Janek is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News