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Operation Snowball
Operation Snowball is a teen-leadership
program highlighted by our weekend retreat for high school
students held every fall and spring. The program is co-sponsored
by the schools, so the Friday out of school is set-up as a
field trip and an excused absence.
Snowball emphasizes making healthy
choices and helps teens enhance their self-esteem, develop
and refine responsible decision making skills, and create
a positive impact on their peers. The name comes from the
idea that, "If I have a positive
impact on you, you can have a positive impact on someone else,
and the effect Snowballs." The program began as a teen
led alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse prevention program, and
has expanded into a program that makes a difference in teens'
lives in hundreds of different ways.
Snowball teen staff are drug free students who are paired
with adult staff. Together they plan and facilitate small groups
during the weekend. Over 40 hours goes into staff training
and preparation, so our teens truly are the leaders who reach
out at a Snow event.
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Snowball
is a great place to:
- Make new friends
- Hear amazing speakers
- Play games, jump rope, be on stage, and
be heard
- Participate in a teen-led small group
experience
- Discover something about yourself
- Learn about things teens have in common,
as well as all the ways that you are unique
- Learn about ways you can impact other
teens as well as younger students
- Meet lots of other teens who are alcohol,
tobacco, and drug free - and celebrate that!
- Snowball is three days away from home,
school, and Naperville. No stress, homework, or tests. No
everyday problems. And a Friday out of school.
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So what do you
do at Snowball?
The weekend starts with our staff helping
everybody meet everybody else Friday morning. Then we bus up
to camp and meet our small groups. Your small group is your
family for the weekend and meets and reflects - usually after
large groups. Large groups are put on by the teen staff and
outside speakers. Each one is different, but we always talk
about taking a chance on Snowball, being yourself, meeting
new people, and making good choices. Part of Snowball is devoted
to mini-workshops - (you get to sign up for these) - and have
been things as simple as reliving Kindergarten or traveling
through an A-Maze-Ing maze, or as serious as talking about
dealing with grief and loss. We also have a no-talent talent
show Friday night, free time, and lots of chances to meet new
people or see old friends in the dorms, at meals, or at our
other activities.
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What do people
get out of it?
We hope that everybody who attends
a Snowball weekend can go home and make a positive impact on
their peers at school and in their community. Snowball has
been proven to be effective not just at increasing the likelihood
that teens will continue making healthy choices about alcohol,
tobacco, and drug use, but at increasing leadership skills
and self-esteem, making teens less susceptible to peer pressure,
and increasing other healthy behaviors – even regarding
things like wearing seatbelts (not that we talk about wearing
seatbelts at Snowball)!
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What's
it like there?
Snowball takes place at Camp Henry
Horner, a 'rural' retreat' far enough from Naperville that
you get immersed in the 3-day weekend. It's kind of like being
at camp, but instead of swimming, boating, and sailing - you
talk about being a teen. And have some fun too! Each Snowball
weekend is planned by teen directors and a teen staff who know
the current issues and what you want to do and hear. You choose
the workshops you want to attend, and you hear about topics
of interest to you. Snowball is an opportunity to find out
what you and your friends really think about the things that
are important to you. It is a time of processing honest feelings
in order to gain an inner strength and knowledge that will
give you a new perspective on life. AND IT'S FUN!!! Do yourself
a favor and join us for the experience of a lifetime.
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The School contacts
for Snowball:
- Neuqua Valley HS – Spike Grosshuesch
- Neuqua Valley Gold Campus – Shawna
Stanley
- Waubonsie Valley HS – Kristen Smith
- Waubonsie Valley Gold Campus – Marty
Bierne
- Naperville Central – Traci Fertel
- Naperville North – Steve Mazzarella
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If You
Want To:
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