STARS (Students Taking a Right Stand) will host the annual youth conference and community breakfast Dec. 1. Over 600 students (grades 6–12) from throughout the Hamilton County area are scheduled to attend the event. Two schools from Marion County and one school from Bradley County are expected to attend as well.
Renee’ LaSalle from WDEF TV 12 will be the master of ceremony.
STARS works daily in area schools to encourage students to make healthy choices and refrain from the use of tobacco, alcohol, other drugs, and violence.
The conference will be Tuesday from 8:45 a.m.– 1:30 p.m. at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
The keynote speaker for the event will be Milton Creagh, former college football standout with a lively sense of humor. Mr. Creagh is the former host of the national PBS television series, “Parenting Works!” He created and hosted the Emmy nominated teen talk show, “Atlanta Teen Talk,” as well as a dance/talk format for teens (in Effect!) that also was nominated for a local Emmy. Mr. Creagh has worked with numerous entertainers, athletes, authors, activist and politicians. His keynote address for students will be at 9:25 a.m. in the Imperial Ballroom.
Other presenters at the Conference will include David Guffy (TCCY), Anovia Braden (First Things First), Patrick Hampton (STARS), Panelist (Hamilton County Drug Court), Harvey Weiss (National Inhalant Prevention Coalition), Panelist (Taft), Greg Roy and Rick Hall (Chattanooga TaeKwonDo Plus, Inc.) and Joshua Sarmiento (AUDIO C).
STARS is the appointed Safe and Drug-free Schools program of the Hamilton County Department of Education.