Four regional youth rallies for sixth-grade students held mid-September across the Operation UNITE service region drew 1,633 students from 49 schools in 22 counties.
Rallies were held at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset on Sept. 12, The Forum in Hazard on Sept. 13, The Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg on Sept. 14, and at Button Auditorium on the campus of Morehead State University on Sept. 15.
The theme for these rallies was “One Person. One Choice.” – the same theme as this past summer’s Camp UNITE and the 2023-24 UNITE Clubs.
During the rallies, students engaged in a variety of fun activities and songs from Camp UNITE (including a complete audience participation Rock-Paper-Scissors competition), learned about joining or starting UNITE Clubs at their schools, and regional Shoot Hoops Not Drugs basketball camps held throughout June.
In addition, participants heard inspirational messages from Camp UNITE alumni and an anti-vaping presentation by Robb Holla — a nationally-known youth empowerment speaker who utilized magic and humor to engage the teens. His message was simple: Make positive choices in your life by knowing the facts and understanding the consequences of your decisions.