Youth Spotlight

Taylor Therrien - YCWA Youth of the Year 2007

May 2007 - This month our Youth Spotlight shines on middle school student Taylor Therrien, whose exceptional vision and commitment are stopping vandalism in its tracks in her home town of Coventry, Rhode Island. Therrien was recognized at the 18th National Youth Crime Prevention Conference in Denver with YCWA's Casey Award for Youth of the Year.

"My school team went on a field trip to clean Knotty Oak Cemetary. We saw that a lot of the gravestones were vandalized and that really upset me," says Therrien. "The experience drove me to want to do something about the issue of vandalism." She got together a handful of friends and, with a little guidance from Social Studies Coordinator Charlie Blanchette, she started Students Against Vandalism Everywhere (S.A.V.E.), part of Rhode Island's YCW initiative.

Now 23 strong, S.A.V.E. is making a positive impact on the community and is spreading the word among schools. Taylor's group identifies vandalism as an addressable issue, one that students can actively take in hand and do something about.

Blanchette hands Therrien a lion's share of the credit for S.A.V.E.'s success. "It was because of her the group even started, and, once it was started," he says, "she was very active in expanding it."

We applaud Taylor Therrien for taking the initiative to make a difference in her community.

Thanks, Taylor!

elementary school presentation - Taylor and Ian

Taylor Therrien and Ian Casey promoting vandalism prevention at an elementary school assembly.