Advisory Group
Our Purpose
Our Projects
Tennessee Teen Institute
The Tennessee Teen Institute is a five-day camp to provide education and training in youth development, leadership, and prevention. TTI offers various formats of training including workshops, seminars, and activities that help young people grow to be strong, healthy individuals who will have the skills needed to make a difference in the community in which they live. TTI hosts approximately 500 teen leaders, adult team advisors, and TTI staff. These participants leave TTI motivated not only to make healthy decisions in their own lives, but also committed to work so that others are making healthy decisions as well.
The overall goal of the Tennessee Teen Institute is to promote the development of a healthy, safe, and drug-free lifestyle by impacting the attitudes and behaviors of youth across the state in the areas of alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse, violence, mental health, and vehicle safety.
TTI facilitates this by having young people develop Action Plans to implement prevention projects and programs in their schools and communities. TTI focuses on youth leadership skills and empowerment as key strategies to prevent underage alcohol and drug use, suicide, and teen crashes.
TN Strong Youth Summit
Over the course of this three-day conference, youth had the opportunity to hear from leading tobacco prevention experts as well as network with like-minded peers from across the state. Our goal is that you depart feeling fueled and equipped to reach peers and adults in the continuing effort to protect people from the harmful effects of tobacco use.
Dream Town
Dr. Kathryn Morgan (University of the South) participated in the Grundy Dream Town Workshop. According to Dr. Morgan, the workshop is a part of a broader initiative to ensure the health and well-being of Grundy residents. The workshop holds community conversations to identify priorities—like substance misuse prevention—to ensure a healthier, safer, and connected community.
Dream Town emphasizes the voice of Grundy County youth to give students a chance to create an ideal town with a focus on health, community, and connection. In these workshops, students bring their creativity to the forefront as they reimagine what their communities can look like. Not only do the workshops allow students to explore artistic creativity, but it also allows them to apply real-world principles of design and civic engagement to think critically about health and accessibility.
Red Sand Project
Red Sand Project is a participatory artwork created by Molly Gochman that uses sidewalk interventions and earthwork installations to create opportunities for people to question, connect and take action against vulnerabilities that can lead to human trafficking, modern slavery, and exploitation.