To be healthy

To perform better

To feel good and relax

To stay safe

For fun with friends

To be healthy:

Accidents are the number one cause of death for youth in the U.S. Recreational drugs, both legal and illegal, regularly serve as short-term pleasures that gradually become long-term cages for youth. Other drugs, such as the caffeine, flavorants and preservatives added to our food also often go unnoticed as we over consume them, leaving children in particular unaware of the short and long-term effects of such additives to their body. "Be Aware" is a broad category. The greatest achievements of modern society are the freedoms afforded to its people. Thus, we recognize that the best thing is for youth and their role models to be educated, so that they are aware of their choices, aware of the short-term versus long-term impact of their environment on health, aware of the signals of their own bodies and aware of the dangers of various activities. All this awareness can be stressful when people focus on the negative things they need to avoid. Rather, certain types of awareness are key for planning long-term lifestyle; others, such as wearing a seatbelt and helmet, should be automatic reflexes learned early in youth.

To perform better:

Avoiding all forms of drugs in excess greatly enhances performance of youth and adults in school, sports, and most aspects of life.

To feel good and relax:

Being aware may seem stressful in the short-term. In the long-term however, reflection on one's own body, mind, feelings, others and their environment can help ultimately reduce average stress. A lot of people begin turning to drugs early in life as a form of relief from the pressures of today's society. Rather than criminalizing such people, we all need to take a more empathetic approach to understanding and addressing the root causes of drug abuse. Kids that engage in sports and have stable and caring family lives become dependent on drugs much more rarely than children who grow up unengaged and unloved.

To stay safe: On the one hand, we are encouraging physical activity; on the other hand, many physical activities increase risks for injury. Awareness of how to use your body and tricks to avoid getting hurt are important for staying active in the future.

For fun with friends: Awareness will help youth identify with the right set of friends, and ultimately not succumb to peer pressure from the negative and unaware.