Abbie is an incoming junior at Gahanna Lincoln High School and has been an active member of Youth to Youth for 5 years. This is her third year of conference! She is also the #1 Haylee Perry fan (her former teacher).

Abigail recently graduated from Licking Valley High School, and she will be attending Kent State, majoring in Architecture. She has been a part of Youth to Youth International for 4 years and has met the most amazing people here. Youth to Youth has changed my life in ways she could have never imagined, and she is so excited to be back! Abigail is a fun, success-oriented person who can't wait to see what the future holds. She loves to travel, spend time with her family, friends, and her dog, and be outside any chance she gets. She believes in getting the most out of our short time on this earth and living life to the fullest!

Adira Sweet is from Chicago, IL. This is their third year on Youth Staff and their fourth Conference. Youth to Youth has connected Adira with so many incredible people and given them the knowledge they needed to support friends.

Ana is currently 18 and just graduated from Mayland Early College in North Carolina. She also earned her Associate of Arts with a concentration in sociology and a certificate in Criminal Justice Technologies. She will be going to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte this fall and will be majoring in Sociology. Ana loves true crime, painting, and reading social commentaries! She is passionate about making everyone around her feel welcome and understanding the backgrounds of everyone she meets.

Antoine is 17 and goes to St. Charles in Columbus, Ohio where he has grown up his whole life. He wants to be a firefighter who creates Japanese manga on the side and really wants to move to Japan when he is older. He is very loud and considers himself a comedian. Antoine has 9 siblings and is building a relationship with Jesus/God.

Ava is 16 and her birthday is November 6th. She has lived in Columbus her whole life with her sister and mom. She’s played many sports but right now, she is on the cheer team, which she’s been on for her whole high school experience. She is a part of the National Honors Society, she had the highest grades in her class, and she is a school ambassador. She has also been at Youth to Youth for about a year now and loves it so much. It has helped her branch out and be the best version of herself.

Azalena is 17 years old and enjoys reading, cooking, and taking care of her plants. She is from North Carolina!

Camille is 17 years old and a rising senior at Gahanna-Lincoln High School. She has two older sisters who were both very involved in Youth to Youth, and now that they have graduated, she is excited to create her own path in the program.

Camille loves listening to music, art, fashion, meeting new people, and spending time with friends. She is a typical high school student, but something important to her is knowing that you can have fun, enjoy life, and still choose to be drug free.

Her goal is to encourage other students her age to be authentically themselves and never let anyone shake their confidence. Be yourself and stay true to who you are!

If you see Camille, come say hi. She cannot wait to meet you!

DaVon is a passionate youth leader dedicated to drug prevention and empowering others to live healthy, purpose-driven lives. Through involvement in school-based prevention efforts, statewide leadership with the Ohio Youth-Led Prevention Network, and serving as Ohio BPA State Parliamentarian, he has worked to educate peers, advocate for policy change, and inspire youth across his community. His experiences with Youth to Youth have strengthened his confidence and commitment to leading by example, showing that a drug-free life can be both fulfilling and impactful.

Looking ahead, DaVon plans to graduate high school with an associate degree which he will accomplish by next winter before enlisting in the United States Army, where he will continue his education in political science. He aspires to attend Howard School of Law and become a civil rights attorney, potentially working with organizations like the NAACP to defend marginalized communities and create lasting change. He is driven by the belief that real impact begins with service, leadership, and the courage to stand and represent others who can't.

Dionna Kendrick is a 2026 graduate of Reynoldsburg High School's Summit Campus. She is involved in leadership-based extracurriculars, notably Youth to Youth International, Reynoldsburg's Student Council, and her role as a former debutante in the Starlite Cotillion. In addition to being an Honor Roll student and being involved in the community, Dionna is also an artist, poet, dancer, and writer. She plans on attending the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, Georgia, this fall to study painting and interior design with goals of becoming an entrepreneur.

All of Donovan’s friends call him Donny, so you can do the same! He is going into his senior year at Warren G Harding where he participates in activities such as Marching Band (flute/piccolo player), National Honors Society, and Our Voices Matter. He is also president of his school’s student council. Outside of school, he enjoys participating in community theater where he is currently a member of the youth board at The Youngstown Playhouse. He is a member of Second Baptist Church a House of Hope. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family!

Hussein is a rising senior at Teays Valley High School and currently work at Raising Cane’s. He enjoys spending time with his friends and being involved in Youth to Youth, which has had a positive impact on his life. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in healthcare and continue helping others in his community.

Ember is an upcoming junior at Hayes High School. She is involved in many activities through her school, such as orchestra, theater, and color guard. Outside of school, she enjoys practicing cello and spending time with her friends and family. She is very excited for this year's conference, and her first year on youth staff!

Jace is from Warren, Ohio and will be going into the 12th grade this upcoming school year. He enjoys meeting new people and talking to others. He also loves shoes and getting dressed as he works at Jd Sports.

Jae is a junior at Galion High School who somehow manages to juggle band, choir, theatre, and every single club ever without dropping a thing (although she is skipping part of band camp to be here). She is best known for her love of ducks, her questionable amount of theatre energy, and the fact that her favorite musical is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, where she proudly played a man and enthusiastically tried to kill her brother just to sell him as a slave. She brings her humor, heart, and leadership to everything she does, and is excited to bring that same energy to Y2Y.

Jai is a 17 year old senior who just graduated from Eastmoor Academy and Columbus Downtown High School in May. She has been attending Youth to Youth conferences since the 8th grade. She has been a part of stage crew for Eastmoor productions ofThe Wiz, Hadestown, The Worst 9 Break Ups, and Murder Mysteries. She loves arts & crafts, especially building. Her future plans are to become a cosmetologist and phlebotomist.

Eli was born in Russia on August 21, 2009. He was adopted at the age of three and taken back to America by his mom Lesley Vannerson. He lives in Pennsylvania with his mom and brother, Tom, who is 11 years old. He currently attends high school in New Jersey. He loves to study economics/finance as well as history. Eli knows a lot about different mythologies including: Greek, Roman, Norse, and Egyptian!

Jayden was born on July 9, 2010 and his favorite color is red. He loves going to Youth to Youth because they’re like a second family to him. He also loves running track!

Most people call Kevin Jones Jr. just KJ. He is from Springfield, Ohio and he is a sophomore at Springfield High School. He enjoys listening to music and thinks music is the best way to express feelings or just to storytell. He also likes playing sports such as soccer and basketball and loves to exercise. KJ loves connecting and meeting new people wherever he can and likes to bring fun and excitement wherever he goes. Things that are important to him would be his family, his goals and making a meaningful impact on those around him. Knowing that at some moments people will hear what he says and make future decisions with his words truly means a lot to KJ.

Kylie is a part of the graduating class of 2026. She is from Columbus, Ohio. She is a people person, and she is kind and outgoing. She loves creating new friendships and making new memories.

Laylah is a 10th grade student involved in Hope Squad at her school, where she helps promote mental health awareness and encourages her peers to make healthy, drug-free choices. She enjoys being someone others can talk to and support.

Liam believes drug prevention is especially important among youth because it helps stop problems before they begin. Preventing young people from using drugs leads to healthier individuals and stronger communities. He has taken an active role in drug prevention by leading and participating in several initiatives, including the TI Youth Rally and various school-based activities such as seatbelt checks and his school’s VolleyBro event. He has also been a member of the Kalaria Youth Staff, where he has worked to promote positive choices among peers.

Outside of prevention work, Liam stays actively involved in his high school through sports like soccer, baseball, and golf. He also works at a golf course and enjoys watching all types of sporting events. He brings strong energy and enthusiasm to events and enjoys being actively involved in hiscommunity.

Machyla is from Columbus, OH where she is currently in a Pre-Nursing program to work towards getting her CNA and be CPR certified. She enjoys reading and writing and is planning on writing her own book soon!

Marion considers herself an open book, and says that there’s not a moment where you can’t ask her anything. She likes to present herself as a friendly person who can help others in any situation without judgment, someone others can talk to at any time. She is a creative person and loves the arts with everything she has. As a rising senior, Marion is dedicated to doing as many projects as she can before reaching the culmination of her high school years.

Mary Cunningham is a senior at The Miami Valley School in Dayton, Ohio, and lives in Springfield, Ohio. She is the president of B.A.T.S. (Bringing Awareness to Students), a youth-led organization focused on substance use prevention and mental health awareness. Mary is passionate about leadership, advocacy, and creating spaces where young people feel seen and heard. She has been dancing since the age of three and enjoys choreographing and expressing herself through the arts. Mary loves connecting with others, engaging in meaningful conversations, and using her voice to make a positive impact in her community.

Mia is seventeen years old, and she is from Hilliard, Ohio. She is a middle child of three girls and has two golden retrievers. One of the most important things to her is spending time with her family and friends, and she always tries to surround herself with people who make her happy. As a current junior at Hilliard Davidson High School, Mia enjoys being involved in many different activities. She participates in field hockey, lacrosse, student council, YoungLife, and many different clubs, as well as one she & her teammates started with inspirations from Y2Y (Pawsitive Project). She is passionate about being a good leader around my school and community. Outside of school, she has a job at the school district's central office working in the tech department. Lastly, Mia loves walking her dogs and traveling.

Micaiah is a hardworking student-athlete that aspires to keep her community safe. She organizes and leads the Bible club at her high school, plays varsity and club volleyball, and runs her own baking business that has donated to fundraisers in the past. She wants to pursue law while in college and has always had a passion to help others. She looks at her future with a bright perspective to help people as much as she can.

Olivia is a senior in high school and this is her last year with Youth to Youth. :( She has been in the program since her sophomore year! Youth to Youth has changed Olivia for the better by helping her create healthy life skills, lifelong friendships, and opening her eyes to the potential she didn’t know she had. She is a kind person and enjoys meeting new people. She loves learning new skills/creating new hobbies! Olivia plans on going to trade school after graduating to pursue a career as an EMT.

Sahana is from Dublin, Ohio and will be a senior next year at Dublin Jerome High School. She is someone who loves meeting new people and talking about anything and everything. Sahana runs and throws for the varsity track team, and she is a part of her school’s choir. So yes...she goes from launching shot puts and discs to singing on a stage!! She loves having fun with friends, going out shopping, going to the pool and honestly anything that lets her be surrounded by the people who make her happy is what she wants to be doing. She can't wait to make memories with everyone at Y2Y this year!!

Saraia Collins is 16 years old and goes to Reynoldsburg High School. After school, she plans on studying psychology or science. She likes to write—whether that’s poetry or journaling. Saraia also enjoys creating new things, like painting or drawing.

Sebastian is a motivated and disciplined student who is focused on personal growth and making a positive impact on others. He values leadership, responsibility, and setting a good example, especially for people his age. He stays active through fitness and consistently work on improving both physically and mentally. He enjoys being involved in his school and community and strives to support others in making positive choices. Sebastian is excited about opportunities to grow as a leader and contribute to a strong, supportive environment.

Shawn is a vibrant personality who hopes to bring that vibrancy into the youth staff. He is passionate about everything he chooses to do! He loves theatre, volleyball, and his community, and hopes to bring knowledge back from Youth to Youth to his neighborhood, and he also sees this opportunity as a way to step out of his shell some more than usual!

Sophia is a student who is focused on making positive choices and growing as a leader. She enjoys learning, making art, playing piano, singing and quality time. She has participated in programs outside of school, including Youth to Youth, where she learned about drug prevention and the importance of positive decision-making. These experiences helped her build confidence and understand how her actions can influence others and how she is in control of herself. Since attending, Sophia tries to support her peers and set a good example in her community and within herself. In the future, she strives to use everything Y2Y has taught her and be an art therapist where she can do what she enjoys, which is helping people while creating art.

Sophie is an incoming senior at Hilliard Davidson High School in Columbus, Ohio. She lives with her two moms (Joyce and Amy) as well as her two Mini Australian Labradoodles (Buddy and Piper). She loves staying active, being with her friends, listening to and creating music, and traveling! Sophie plays varsity lacrosse and volleyball for her school and has a competitive nature. Her first time at a Y2Y conference was in 2024 and the experience that she had was unforgettable. She met so many amazing people and she can’t wait to meet you!

Trinity is from Columbus, OH. She is 18 years old and just graduated high school.  She will be attending Savannah College of Art & Design (Atlanta, Georgia) in the fall. Trinity is very passionate about advocacy, fashion, film, and more!

Throughout school, Yahya has been involved in drug prevention and leadership activities that help students make healthy, positive choices. His role has included being a positive example, participating in awareness events, sharing prevention messages, and encouraging others to stay focused on their goals. He has also worked with other students to promote teamwork, responsibility, and school involvement.

Youth to Youth has personally helped him grow as a leader and showed him how powerful youth voices can be. The conference gave him confidence to speak up, connect with others, and realize that one person can make a difference. Since attending, he has encouraged positive conversations, better decision-making, and helped create a more supportive environment for students.

Zoey is in the class of 2028 at Eastern High School in Meigs County, Ohio. Currently, she serves in various leadership positions in her school and community. She is committed to making a positive future for the coming generations of Appalachian Ohio through her work in prevention.

Abbey is a high school math teacher and crew coach. She is from Brigantine, New Jersey.

Art Sherman grew up in Summit County Y2Y, which is programing similar to Y2Y. He attributes this form of intervention as a pillar of his development. He cares greatly for youth development and leadership and his core professional passion is to work to redirect and divert the flow of at-risk youth from the school to prison pipeline. Art is incredibly excited to be back in this community and looks forward to smiling with everyone at Conference.

Beth Dixon is the adult ally for BATS (Bringing Awareness to Students), an arts based youth-led prevention group in Springfield, Ohio. BATS is an inclusive and artistic environment where young people are purposefully engaged to problem-solve creatively.

Corlei is a junior at Ohio University majoring in exercise physiology on the pre-athletic training track. She is the second oldest of five siblings! In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching new movies, going thrifting, and spending time hanging out with her friends and family.

Dajon was voted “Best Personality” in high school and still brings the same energy today. He is newly married, a proud new father, an entrepreneur, and an avid thrifter with a passion for vintage culture, community, and all things Ohio… except the weather. He loves inspiring and motivating youth through his testimony, life story, and real-life experiences—encouraging the next generation to chase their dreams while staying true to themselves.

In a galaxy far, far away… The Lil Dee Price, Adult Staff. Continuing his long youth lead prevention journey, Dee contacted his old friends at Y2Y looking for work. Dee was then added to a crew from Summit Co. Y2Y. Having made his way, Dee realized he likes working with youth, seeing them grow, mature and make positive contributions and choices. Dee also enjoys doing art, traveling, new adventures and Batman. Now Dee travels onward with family in toe making positive change… he is Lil Dee Price, AS, a Jedi.

Georden is just here to serve and feels blessed with many opportunities to do so over the years.

Jacob is a newly married man, owner of an overly excited Golden Retriever, Marvel nerd, hooper, golfer, rubber duck collector, hiker/traveler, and friend of Zarek Porter.

Jason likes to make pieces fit together and solve problems. He and Abbey run the Volleyball team every summer.

Known to many as “JERM,” he is a worship leader with a passion for music, ministry, and community impact. He has also spent the past two years working in prevention and is honored to participate in his second Y2Y conference. He is one half of the gospel duo Kingdom Movement and co-owner of Lineage Productions, using creativity and worship to inspire and impact others. You can find his music on all digital platforms!

Kamryn has worked in Youth Led Prevention for over 3 years and has been apart of youth-led since she was in the 8th grade. Summer conference is something she looks forward to each year, and this year is no different. Outside of work, Kam has two amazing kids and two insane dogs. One thing to know about her is that she will always have a snack on her at all times!

Kayla Barkoff is a prevention specialist from Livingston County, Michigan. This is her first Y2Y conference and she is very excited to be here! Kayla has been in the human service work field for two years now, beginning her career in ABA and currently in prevention. She studies at Washtenaw Community College working towards a degree in social work and a certification in art therapy.

Kayla has been involved in Youth to Youth since 2004. She met her husband Buddy in the program in 2008. They have been together for 17 years and have two beautiful daughters!

Kelli has been involved with Youth to Youth for 19 years now and looks forward to Summer Conference every year. When she's not daydreaming about Conference, Kelli is a 7th grade language arts teacher in South-Western City Schools. She also hosts a weekly trivia and has a lot of random knowledge in her brain. Kelli loves talking about books and seeing pictures of everyone's pets the cuter, the better.

Lauren holds previous experience in program coordinating through her Cooking Matters internship at Ohio Wesleyan. Lauren collaborated with organizations in the community, including Strengthening Families, to provide cooking classes. These classes taught basic kitchen skills and healthy recipes to make on a budget. Through this internship, Lauren developed a passion for programming. She is excited to use her skills to deliver programming to the Delaware community where she has lived her entire life.

Mary is a major Youth to Youth fan and loves staffing conferences! In addition, she likes to travel, read, do all types of arts and crafts, hang out with friends, and spend time with her adorable little dog, Allie. She is looking forward to meeting everyone and having a fun and memorable week.

In her own words: “baddie, diva, queen, mother, slay.”

If you know Nate, then you know how much fun and positive he is. If you don’t know him, you certainly will by the end of the week!

Nikita Warfield-Owens is a lifelong resident of Warren, Ohio, and a graduate of Youngstown State University with a bachelor's degree in Social Work. She is a Certified Prevention Specialist in Ohio, a Grief Recovery Specialist, and plans to return to Youngstown State University to pursue her master's degree. As the Behavioral and Wellness Coordinator for the Warren City School District through Cadence Care Network, she developed and leads a Student Assistance Program that supports students and families throughout the community. She is also an active minister, devoted wife, mother, and grandmother who is passionate about serving others through faith, compassion, and community engagement.

Also known as Nijah, she likes working with youth and creating spaces where they can grow and feel confident and can be themselves. She also loves traveling and trying new things. Nijah can’t wait to experience this conference with you!

As a mom, grandma, and great-grandma, Sandy deeply enjoys working with young adults and witnessing their growth into wonderful individuals. Her passion for travel led her to start her own travel agency, enabling her to explore the world affordably.

Sarah has been with CHC Addiction Services and Summit County Youth to Youth since October 2018 after spending two years doing dating and sexual violence prevention and suicide prevention/mental health promotion. She is an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist. Sarah has experience working at the local and state level advocating for at-risk populations. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from The University of Mount Union where she double majored in Communication-Integrated Media and Japanese (Kansai Gaidai - Osaka, Japan). Sarah enjoys live music, writing, and going thrifting.

Sunday Levesque is currently a sophomore who attends Columbus State Community College for Health Communication. She believes you cannot thrive and embrace the qualities of life without being able to advocate for yourself, so being a speech therapist felt like the way to go. She started Youth 2 Youth in her sophomore year of high school, and ever since, hasn't been able to stay away. If you ever find yourself in low spirits, she can lend an empathetic ear or cheer you up with her fun-loving and playful attitude.

Suzy is from Athens, Ohio and has a passion for health education, community engagement, and advocating for youth! She attended Ohio University for degrees in Spanish and biological sciences, and now coordinates the Appalachian Youth-Led Prevention Council through the Appalachian Children Coalition.

With over 20 years of experience with adolescents, Tereah is a dedicated prevention specialist and youth advocate. Her goal is to help youth heal, grow, and thrive. She specializes with youth with challenging behaviors, trauma, by giving emotional regulation tools and techniques. Tereah is known for her ability to connect authentically with youth, and create engaging supportive space that encourages growth, confidence, and positive change.

Tyler (Ty) Shaw, an enthusiastic Y2Y and YAB alumnus, has dedicated over a decade to volunteering at conferences. He’s studying Educational Studies with a focus on Human and Community Service at Otterbein University. A vocal advocate for prevention education, Ty has earned recognition from the Ohio State Senate and Columbus Rotary. Apart from his community work, he enjoys theatre, spending time with puppies, and giving free hugs. Known for his warm fuzzy challenge, Ty once wrote over 100 personalized messages to non-repeating participants, encouraging others to beat his record, but they must provide proof! He eagerly awaits meeting everyone at the conference and wishes them a fantastic experience.

Vada Azeem is a multi-disciplined artist, activist, and intervention specialist based in Columbus, Ohio, who has worked with Youth to Youth for over 20 years. He combines creative practice with hands-on mentorship to provide positive outlets and foster resilience in young people from all backgrounds. Vada develops programs that address social and emotional needs and partners with organizations, local and abroad, to expand opportunities.

Buddy’s life wouldn't be the same without Youth to Youth. He met his better half, Kayla, through the Licking County program when they were kids. They have been together ever since and have 2 amazing girls of their own. If he is not working at his day job or running his own business, Buddy enjoys being creative.