Student Leaders Help Bring “Getting to Y” to New Hampshire Schools
February 18, 2025
Students from Thetford Academy’s chapter of Up for Learning’s “Getting to ‘Y'” (GTY) have been working with Vermont’s program leadership to help bring the youth empowerment and risk reduction initiative across state lines. Last month, their work culminated in Concord at New Hampshire’s GTY Kick Off Conference and Training Event.
At the kickoff, Mavis Downey ’26 and Hanae Debo ’25 – alongside Up for Learning leaders Kate Merrigan and Lindsey Halman – facilitated the day’s activities for more than 100 students and educators. Using their own experience working with GTY in Vermont, the team presented an overview of how the program works, answered questions from NH students and educators, and led a mock training for the group.
In an article for Up for Learning’s February 2025 newsletter, Mavis said participating in the event was a “reminder of just how powerful youth voices can be in shaping our education” and how it “reinforces my belief in the change that we can create when youth and adults work together.” Before this year, NH had just a few schools participating in Getting to Y. But, said NH GTY coordinator Liz Broch, “because GTY had such an impact on NH students and NH Public Health, plans for a NH statewide GTY program began.” At the conference and with the help of TA student leaders, this milestone has been reached.
This year, Mavis, Hanae, and the rest of Thetford Academy’s GTY team are already hard at work on their next project. Last Friday, February 14, the team hosted their annual data analysis retreat to take a close look at the results of the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey and identify areas where they can effect positive change at TA. We look forward to hearing more from GTY in the coming weeks!