My Impact

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

American Heart Month

Many of us don’t get as much physical activity as we should. The American Heart Association recommends that teens get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Invite your friends to join you – It’s never too late to start a healthy habit!

February is American Heart Month. Here’s what you can do:

• Organize a Just Move It event for your school or community. Get tools  and ideas at: justmoveit.org Host a walk, fun run, lacrosse game, bike ride, kick ball tournament, or basketball game.
• Take the NFL Play 60 School Challenge: nfl.com/play60 
• Celebrate National Wear Red Day. Encourage everyone in your community to wear red.
• Contact your local Red Cross and invite then to train your school in CPR.
• CPR skills can help save a life.
• Host a showing of Supersize Me at your school, or create a health promotion video of your own: YouTube.com

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Through With Chew Week

You can call chewing tobacco by whatever name you want — smokeless tobacco, spit tobacco, chew, snuff, pinch or dip — but don’t call it harmless. Whether you use chewing tobacco or other types of smokeless tobacco, be forewarned: chewing tobacco can cause serious health problems.

All tobacco products contain nicotine, which is super addictive. Smokeless tobacco also contains 28 cancer-causing agents (carcinogens).

Through With Chew Week is February 15-21st. Here’s what you can do:

• Download the Through with Chew Week Toolkit: throughwithchew.com
• Create a Display Showing What’s Really in Chew
• Host a Green Ribbon Activity in Your Community
• Host a Tobacco Trade-In Day (Ask People to Trade In their Tobacco Products for Something Else)
• Organize a Benefit Concert, a Rally, or a Poetry Slam for Your Cause
• Host a showing of TRUTH videos at your school, or create a tobacco prevention video of your own: thetruth.com

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

More than 3,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives have been infected by HIV. Think you’re not at risk? Think again – Half of new HIV infections occur among teens and young adults!

National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is March 20th. Here’s what you can do: 

• Get ideas and order awareness day materials: nnhaad.org
• Host a luncheon with community members to discuss STD/HIV and other issues affecting teens and their health.
• Organize a Wall of Moccasins in a prominent place, to honor Native people who have died from HIV/AIDS.
• Organize a STD/HIV testing event for your school or clinic. Learn how at: itsyoursexlife.com/toolkit
• Organize a Benefit Concert, Open Mic Night, or Poetry Slam for Your Cause
• Watch and discuss videos from Native STAND, or create and share your own HIV prevention videos:  youtube.com/user/nativeStand7

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Kick Butts Day

Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S. Commercial tobacco kills more Americans than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs, and fires combined.

Kick Butts Day is March 18th. Here’s what you can do:

• Download a Kick Butts Day activity guide: kickbuttsday.org
• Create a Display Showing What’s Really in Cigarettes
• Host a Clean Up A Butt Event in Your Community (Cigarette Butt, That Is)
• Host a Tobacco Trade-In Day (Ask People to Trade In their Tobacco Products for Something Else)
• Organize a Benefit Concert, Rally, or Poetry Slam for Your Cause
• Host a showing of TRUTH videos at your school, or create a tobacco prevention video of your own: thetruth.com

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

National Nutrition Month

Eating healthy means getting the right balance of nutrients your body needs. A healthy plan includes fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts, and whole grains.

It’s also important to balance food choices and control portion sizes. You don’t have to give up foods like hamburgers and ice cream to eat healthy. You just have to be smart about how often and how much you eat.

Here’s what you can do:

• Organize a Fear Factor event. Prepare unusual fruits and vegetables, cut them into bite-size pieces. Get your classmates to taste and guess what it is.
• Host a healthy meal scavenger hunt. Divide into teams and head to the market. See which group can plan the most nutritionally balanced meal.
• Host a traditional foods cooking class or cooking contest. Find recipes and get ideas at: Facebook.com/StoreOutside
• Celebrate a “Salute to the Troops.” Invite local veterans to lunch. Serve Hero Sandwiches, All-American Apples, and Military Milk.

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

STI Awareness Month

1 in 2 sexually active people will get an STD by age 25. Most won’t know it. The only way to find out is to Get Yourself Tested (GYT). GYT is about knowing yourself and knowing your status, while carving your own path in life.

Here’s what you can do:

• Order the GYT Toolkit, and post the materials around your community: itsyoursexlife.com
• Organize a testing event at your school or clinic
• Host a 16 & Pregnant watch party
• Organize a concert, rally, or poetry slam for your cause
• Create a GYT prevention video of your own

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Alcohol Awareness Month

Alcohol Awareness Month gives us the opportunity to raise awareness about alcohol abuse and encourage community members to make
healthy, safe choices. Here’s what you can do:

• Order I Strengthen My Nation campaign materials, and post them around your community: npaihb.org
• Host an alcohol-free community event to show how much fun you can have without drinking. Share free information on preventing alcohol abuse and provide demonstrations, such as using drinking goggles to see what it’s like to be impaired.
• Organize a concert, rally, or poetry slam for your cause
• Show the I Strengthen My Nation video at your school, or create a prevention video of your own: https://youtu.be/oLoovbxaoFE

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

Nearly one-third of all girls in the U.S. get pregnant at least once by age 20.

National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month is in May. Here’s what you can do:

• Visit StayTeen.org and encourage your friends to take the teen pregnancy quiz.
• Host a 16 & Pregnant watch party. Get a discussion guide from itsyoursexlife.com
• Organize a concert, rally, or poetry slam for your cause Create a teen pregnancy prevention video of your own.
• Learn more about sexual health youth activism at: amplifyyourvoice.org

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

May is Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

About 40% of cancers are preventable, including skin cancer! But skin cancer cases among young people have continued to increase since 1992. So slather on that sunscreen. And don’t wait until you’re at the pool — It takes 30 minutes for sunblock to fully soak in and protect you from the sun’s UV rays.

Here’s what you can do:

• Organize a rally outside a tanning salon.
• Create a flier or display showing facts about melanoma
• Organize a concert, rally, or poetry slam for Your Cause
• Create a skin cancer prevention video of your own.
• Committed to spreading positive vibes and creating positive change in their communities.
• Available for occasional conference calls. Reachable via text message, e-mail, Facebook, or phone.
• Dedicated to becoming strong leaders.

Need more Ideas? Check out: www.dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

National Safety Month

A fatal injury occurs every six minutes. The good news is, that many of these injuries can be stopped – by preventing crashes, unintentional overdoses, falls, and fires.

June is National Safety Month. Here’s what you can do:

• Invite the Red Cross to your school to provide first aid, CPR, and AED training to you and your classmates.
• Get friends together and conduct “home safety inspections” for elders and families with young children.
• Check and change batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Install free detectors for those who don’t have them.
• Work with your clinic or pharmacy to host a Trade-In Event for expired prescriptions (ie. Ask people to trade in their old prescriptions for something else, like movie tickets or a healthy dinner). Doing so can prevent drug abuse and accidental overdose.
• Create and share a home safety video of your own.

Need more Ideas? Check out: www.dosomething.org

National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day – June 27th

More than 3,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives have been infected by HIV. Think you’re not at risk? Think again – Half of new HIV infections occur among teens and young adults!

Here’s what you can do:

• Host a dinner with community members to discuss HIV, STDs and other issues affecting teens and their health.
• Organize a Wall of Moccasins in a prominent place, to honor Native people who have died from HIV/AIDS.
• Organize a testing event for your school or clinic: cdc.gov/stdawareness
• Organize a Benefit Concert, Open Mic Night, or Poetry Slam for your cause
• Watch and discuss videos from Native STAND, or create and share your own HIV prevention videos: youtube.com/nativeStand7

Need more Ideas? Check out: www.dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

No Health Observances…

Need an idea to get started? Check out: Dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

National Immunization Awareness Month

August is National Immunization Awareness Month! Immunization plays an important role in keeping you, your family, and your community healthy. Vaccination helps prevent the spread of disease, especially to those who are most likely to suffer serious complications (such as infants and young children, elders, and those with chronic illness or weakened immune systems).Vaccines for teens prevent serious, sometimes life-threatening infections.

One of the most important actions you can take is to make sure you are up to date on your vaccines, even if you were vaccinated when you were younger because the protection wears off over time, so you may need another dose. Learn more about vaccinations and which ones you may need>>

Here’s what you can do to promote vaccines this month:

• Check out this easy-to-use chart, to learn more about vaccines recommended for teens and young adults
• Work with your clinic to host an Immunization Update event for you and your classmates. Select a day, make fliers, offer incentives for those who get a “shot.”
• Organize a concert, rally, or poetry slam to encourage others to get vaccinated.
• Spread the word on your social media pages #NAIM2017
• Take and share the Vaccine Quiz

Need more Ideas? Check out: dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

Fruits & Veggies – More Matters/Whole Grains Month

It’s easier than you think to start eating healthy! Eating healthy means choosing a balanced healthy diet, avoiding high fat and sugary foods, and eating in moderation. Fortunately we can look toward our traditional ways of eating. To make it really simple – our ancestors ate a variety of whole foods that were close to the earth.

Here’s what you can do:

• Host a dinner with community members serving healthy, traditional foods and discussing why they are so important.
• Create a cook book full of healthy recipes from your community or tribe.
• Organize an event focusing on the Half-Your-Plate concept
• Watch and discuss fruit and veggie videos, or create and share your own traditional foods videos: fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org

Need more Ideas? Check out: www.dosomething.org

National Suicide Prevention Week

In the U.S., suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for young people 10 to 24 years old. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for AI/ANs 10-34 years old. But suicide canbe prevented.

National Suicide Prevention Week is the Monday through Sunday surrounding World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10th. Here’s what you can do:

• Organize a candlelight ceremony or walk to remember those who have died by suicide.
• Organize a cultural or spiritual event to raise awareness about suicide.
• Organize a training at your school on suicide and depression…host a QPR training or TeenScreen event.
• Educate yourself about suicide and warning signs
• Visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s (IASP) webpage for more information, factsheets, and World Suicide Prevention day events worldwide: iasp.info 
• Create a video about suicide prevention and post it on We R Native.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

Teen Driver Safety Week

Did you know that traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for American teens? And young people are among the most likely to text and talk behind the wheel. One in four of American teens say they have texted while driving, and half say they’ve been a passenger while a driver has texted.

Teen Driver Safety Week is October 18th-24th. Here’s what you can do:

• Prevent distracted driving…Take the pledge. Speak up.
• Spread the Word. Visit Distraction.gov
• Need help talking to your friends about distracted driving?
• Check out: CreateRealImpact.com
• Organize a concert, rally, or poetry slam for your cause
• Host a showing of RU Lethal videos at your school, or create a car safety video of your own.

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

National Suicide Prevention Week

In the U.S., suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for young people 10 to 24 years old. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for AI/ANs 10-34 years old. But suicide canbe prevented.

National Suicide Prevention Week is the Monday through Sunday surrounding World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10th. Here’s what you can do:

• Organize a candlelight ceremony or walk to remember those who have died by suicide.
• Organize a cultural or spiritual event to raise awareness about suicide.
• Organize a training at your school on suicide and depression…host a QPR training or TeenScreen event.
• Educate yourself about suicide and warning signs
• Visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s (IASP) webpage for more information, factsheets, and World Suicide Prevention day events worldwide: iasp.info 
• Create a video about suicide prevention and post it on We R Native.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

Great American Smokeout

Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S. Commercial tobacco kills more Americans than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs, and fires combined.

The Great American Smokeout is November 20th. Here’s what you can do:

• Calculate the cost of smoking, take quizzes, and get tools to quit at cancer.org
• Host a Clean Up A Butt event in tour community (Cigarette Butt, That Is)
• Host a Tobacco Trade-In Day (Ask people to trade in their tobacco products for something else)
• Organize a concert, rally, or poetry slam for Your Cause
• Host a showing of TRUTH videos at your school, or create a tobacco prevention video of your own: thetruth.com

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

American Diabetes Month

American Diabetes Month is a time to come together as a community to Stop Diabetes! The good news is that diabetes can be prevented by eating healthy and staying active.

Here’s what you can do:

• Visit diabetes.org to get promotional materials and activity guides.
• Host a diabetes awareness walk, fun run, lacrosse game, bike ride, kick ball tournament, or basketball game.
• Organize a concert, rally, or poetry slam for your cause
• Create a diabetes prevention video of your own.

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

National Meth Awareness Day

National Meth Awareness Day is November 30th. Here’s what you can do: 

• Learn the facts, read true stories, and get tools to quit at: justthinktwice.com 
• Encourage your community to wear black in recognition of National Meth Awareness Day.
• Organize a concert, rally, or poetry slam for Your Cause
• Create a meth prevention poster or video of your own.

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org

Looking For Ideas? See What’s Going on This Month

World AIDS Day

More than 3,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives have been infected by HIV. Think you’re not at risk? Think again – Half of new HIV infections occur among teens and young adults!

World AIDS Day is December 1st. Here’s what you can do: 

• Get ideas and online resources: worldaidsday.org
• Host a luncheon with community members to discuss STD/HIV and other issues affecting teens and their health.
• Organize a Wall of Moccasins in a prominent place, to honor Native people who have died from HIV/AIDS.
• Organize a testing event for your school or clinic: cdc.gov/stdawareness
• Organize a Benefit Concert, Open Mic Night, or Poetry Slam for your cause
• Watch and discuss videos from Native STAND, or create and share your own HIV prevention videos: Youtube.com/user/nativeStand7

Need more Ideas? Check out: Dosomething.org