Welcome to Strategies for Youth

Strategies for Youth was incorporated as a 501c(3) non profit corporation in 1989. The program was the brainstorm of then Senator Brad Owen. Senator Owen had received numerous invitations to talk with young people and became frustrated with stock presentations that did little to motivate kids. He decided there was a more effective way to communicate with young Americans. He developed a multi-media program that involves live music, visuals, and a verbal presentation. He felt working face to face with the young people rather than in a three-piece suit, sounding like a stuffy politician, would allow his message to be better received. Feedback proved him right.

Since its inception in 1989, Strategies for Youth has performed at over 300 schools across the state, for thousands of students, and at dozens of conferences.

In the beginning, its purpose was to educate young people about the dangers of drug abuse. It demonstrated ways kids could avoid negative behaviors that prevent them from growing up healthy, such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs and violence.

In 1996, Senator Owen was elected Lieutenant Governor of the State of Washington, with a goal of doing more to help our state's youth avoid destructive behavior. He formed a partnership between the Lieutenant Governor's Office and Strategies for Youth to take advantage of their mutual goals and objectives.

In 2002, Strategies for Youth presented a new more interactive program on bullying to elementary schools entitled "Everybody's Different - I'm Glad I'm Me." It's an exciting presentation featuring live music, computer-generated images and a fun game show called "The Sharpest Link."

Strategies for Youth also does a program for middle schools titled "Challenges and Choices." In addition to the youth programs, Strategies does a moving presentation for adult audiences titled "Our Kids and ATM's." The objectives of this presentation are to encourage parents to be more aware of negative influences in their kid's lives, and to be more involved in their problem solving. It's a great program for conferences and conventions.