The Influence Project

OP teen leaders are part of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s nationwide campaign encouraging teens to engage in a conversation about the positive and negative pressures that influence their decisions.

A three-city (Portland, the Bronx and Milwaukee) national media campaign launch took place at Portland’s Wilson High School in June 2010. The launch included teens from OP’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC), its satellite teams SMASH from Marshall High and PACT from Wilson High, and teens from community groups around Portland.

The Influence Project is part of a new emphasis on teens who are central to the anti-drug teen brand, Above the Influence (ATI). This emphasis includes hearing directly from teens about what they do to resist drug use and stay “above” negative influences.

“We are thrilled that The Influence Project has come to Portland to hear directly from teens about what pressures they face, what motivates them and ultimately what keeps them from making unhealthy decisions,” said Emily Moser, Director of OP’s Parenting Programs.

Since January 2010, YAC, SMASH and PACT have participated in three ATI projects. In addition to the media launch in June, teens participated in “Tag It,” a localized viral campaign designed to build influence literacy and an ATI Portland film shoot.

The teens, with staff support and cameras, were able to “own” their environment and label, or “tag,” negative influences. YAC members also were interviewed about the positive and negative influences in their lives. The interviews were edited into a three-minute film short that can be downloaded from the ATI website, along with other resources developed with OP, at http://www.theantidrug.com/resources/youth_resources.aspx.

The YAC also developed an Influence Mural project, which builds on the Tag-it project and the influence flm to create a cohesive, artistic representation of a community's influences. See one of our Influence Murals, from the OES service day, here