Earlier this month, Youth Substance Use Prevention Rowan (YSUP Rowan) was one of 112 community coalitions honored during a graduation ceremony at a national leadership forum outside Washington.

At the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America National Leadership Forum, YSUP Rowan’s Liz Tennent and Karen South Jones received a certificate for completing the coalition’s national academy, a training program designed to increase the effectiveness of community drug prevention leaders.

“We are so proud of our project director, Liz Tennent, and fiscal agent, Karen South Jones, for investing the time and resources to take advantage of the best community coalition training in the world,” said Reid Thornburg, YSUP Rowan chairman. “To graduate from this yearlong, intensive course is no small feat and YSUP Rowan is more prepared today to be an effective, sustainable coalition because of this training,”

YSUP Rowan is focusing its efforts on youth alcohol use, the misuse of prescription drugs and the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems such as vaping.

The coalition recently debuted its “mock bedroom,” a hands-on resource to help adults recognize potential indicators of substance misuse. Included in the bedroom are items of clothing in which drugs may be hidden and fake containers to hold drugs or alcohol, as well as incense and scented candles which are used to mask the smell of tobacco or marijuana.