The Office of National Drug Control Joins DFYIT to Help Miami's Teens Stay Above the Influence

MIAMI, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- For today's youth, dealing with peer pressure and trying to fit in can be all-consuming. For teens, staying above the influence of drugs and alcohol can be a difficult task without positive and constant reinforcement from peers, family members, school and the community. That's why DFYIT (Drug Free Youth In Town), a nationally-recognized prevention organization, is committed to helping youth stay above the influence.

Above The Influence - A National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign

As part of DFYIT's ongoing campaign to teach youth how to live a healthy and drug-free lifestyle, the organization is hosting the 14th Annual Youth Summit on January 25th and 26th 2007, bringing 1300 Miami-Dade County Students to this year's Summit at Signature Gardens. The theme of this year's event -- Above The Influence -- will feature interactive workshops led by Laura-Ashley Overdyke, the Office of National Drug Control's Project Manager. Overdyke will be speaking about the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, entitled Above The Influence and how youth can create social media and marketing campaigns to implement within their schools and communities.

"I am so excited about this great opportunity to be with 1300 amazing teens from DFYIT. These kids are directly in our target audience for the Above The Influence campaign, and their insights and creativity are so valuable to us," quoted Overdyke.

50 Percent of American Youth Use Social Networking Sites

With more than 50 percent of American youth, aged 12 to 17, using online social networking sites such as MySpace and FaceBook (according to a new study from the nonprofit Pew Internet & American Life Project), DFYIT's 14th Annual Youth Summit aims to provide the latest tools and information to Miami-Dade students about drug-prevention and how students can implement change through their social media networks. Students will also be working with several marketing experts to create their own social marketing campaigns and further contribute to DFYIT's effectiveness in creating drug-free youth.

As South Florida's leader in teen substance abuse prevention, DFYIT continues to pave the way toward a drug-free society by enrolling students to be Above The Influence. "With DFYIT clubs in 64 Miami-Dade County middle and high schools, our youth have the power to impact social change amongst their peers. DFYIT students are drug-free and willing to prove it by participating in random drug testing at their school." Barbara Zohlman, Executive Director of DFYIT.

  WHEN:    Thursday, January 25th Friday and January 26th from 10:00am -
           1:00pm

  WHERE:   Signature Gardens; 12725 SW 122nd Avenue, Miami, Florida.

For more information on DFYIT and its social marketing initiatives, please contact Luis Aguilar on 305.491.0269 or Luis@thinkinkpr.com or visit http://www.dfyit.org/.

About DFYIT

DFYIT -- Drug Free Youth In Town -- is a nationally recognized, community- based substance abuse prevention organization that focuses on and gives recognition to students who choose to live a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. Through 64 DFYIT clubs in Miami-Dade County middle and senior high schools, DFYIT provides adolescents with social competency training, drug awareness counseling, conflict resolution skills, positive adult relationships, and pro- social involvement in their school and community. For more information on DFYIT, please visit their website at http://www.dfyit.org/.

About Above The Influence

Above The Influence is the latest anti-drug and awareness initiative created for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign (a program of the Office of National Drug Control Policy). The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is a multi-dimensional effort to educate and empower youth to reject illicit drugs. The campaign uses a variety of media to reach parents and youth, including TV ads, educational materials, Web sites, and publications. The Campaign's messages reach Americans wherever they live, work, learn, and play. For more information about Above The Influence, please visit their website at http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/ or http://www.dfyit.org/