Lee’s Summit CARES
Teen Advocacy Group
We are working to build resilient teens in Lee’s Summit who check in on their peers and prioritize mental and overall well being to create a community that is safe.
Ages 8th-12th Grade
Make an Impact
Peer to Peer Support
Our TAG Students Make a Community Impact
The Teen Advocacy Group (TAG) comprises eighth-grade and high school students from the Lee’s Summit area who are empowered to provide activities and advocacy to promote a healthy and youth-friendly community.
Serving in this group will help students develop leadership skills and positively impact peers, family, and the community surrounding youth substance use and teen violence.
Lee’s Summit CARES believes in including all voices in the community in the decision-making process—this includes students! Through our Teen Advocacy Group (TAG) Lee’s Summit students get the opportunity to step forward and speak up to create the change they and their peers wish to see in their community. TAG engages and trains students through advocacy and leadership activities so they can educate their community about youth health and safety in Lee’s Summit.
Learn About TAG Projects
Buckle Up Phone Down Day
Buckle Up Phone Down Day Proclamation
The TAG students partnered with MoDOT to establish a proclamation approved by the Mayor of Lee’s Summit, Mayor Bill Baird, to declare October 22 as Thumbs Up Buckle Up Phone Down Day.
Pictured: TAG students.
Promote Positive Messaging in Schools
We partner with Zero Reasons Why, which is a local teen-led suicide prevention movement that works to see mental health conversations elevated and the suicide rate amongst their peers reduced. They sponsor a local program to help students bring positive messaging to their schools. They can include creating billboards, adding signs, and providing other promotions that help add positivity throughout the halls of their schools. Our TAG students work with LSR-7 middle and high school students and a Zero Reasons Why member to coordinate these efforts throughout the school year.
Peer-to-Peer Training
TAG members are required to attend Peer-to-Peer training. Training is conducted by our partners Poetry for Personal Power. The training is designed to give the TAG members the tools they need to encourage open conversations with peers that create real and lasting change. Training is focused on how to train youth to become trusted peers, supporting peers in preventing or absorbing and reporting information about mental health, substance misuse, suicide prevention, and more. Topics include the following:
- What is Peer Support
- Red and Green Flags
- Ethics
- Continuing the Conversation
Projects Coming up in the 2023-2024 School Year
Create a Mental Health Check-In Day
The TAG students will be working on launching and promoting an intentional day throughout the LSR-7 schools, where you are asking your peers if they are good. This creates an environment where peers can intentionally look out for the well-being of their peers and provide support as needed. Are you Good?
Lee’s Summit Video Documentary
What’s it like to be a youth in Lee’s Summit? Youth-led and supervised by adults, the TAG students will be working to interview and collect stories from youth around the Lee’s Summit community. This candid look behind the scenes into the lives of our youth will be youth-led and adult supervised. Upon completion, this viewing will be launched at a red carpet premier open to the Lee’s Summit public.
2023 TAG Students Received Scholarships
Congratulations to our TAG students who were awarded scholarships from the Mary Elizabeth Martin Scholarship Trust. Congratulations to Conner, Zayden, Maieva, Jaiden, Ellie, Nico, and Lauren!
About the Grant
The Mary Elizabeth Martin Scholarship Trust was established in 1961. Given by the US Bank, the grant competition itself is administered by Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. An advisory committee chosen by US Bank makes all grant decisions.
The Mary Elizabeth Martin Scholarship Trust grants to nonprofits with current 501(c)(3) status. Awards ranging from $500 to $3,000 may be used for charitable or educational purposes, including providing one or more scholarships to assist students in obtaining a college or university education in the United States.
Become a Member!
We accept members all year round!
Meetings begin in the Fall and go throughout the school year.
What Is Involved in the Membership?
The Teen Advocacy Group meets in the evenings once a month, except for June–August. Events occur between meetings.
- TAG members require once-a-month meetings, project preparations, and podcast preparation (requiring 2 additional times a month if you are on the podcast team).
- TAG members will have several opportunities to do community service and are encouraged to participate in Lee’s Summit CARES activities.
Approximate time commitment: 3–4 hours a month.
We are seeking Lee’s Summit teens in grades 8–12 who are:
- Diverse and talented
- Creative and engaged
- Open-Minded
- Eager to create change
- Health-Oriented
- Able to commit to living an alcohol and drug-free lifestyle
IN ORDER TO APPLY, TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
- Complete the application, answering all questions and providing all requested information.
- Please have your parent/guardian complete the section provided for them.
- We’ll be in touch to discuss your membership!