Follow the Lead of 14-Year-Old Gabriella Contreros

by Rachel Stockman

Gabriella Contreros serves as a beacon to teens around the world. She has accomplished more in her 14 years of being than many do in an entire life time. Her devotion to making the world a better place to live is so strong, that she spends endless hours trying to develop ways to solve important teen issues, and develop ways to help hopeful and motivated teens throughout the world make their communities a better place to live.

Chosen as the Arizona Youth Delegate at the Presidento's Summit for America's Future in 1997, Ms. Contreros is the Founder of CLUB BADD (Be Alert and Don't Do Drugs), has been the leader of a peace march, has served as a Chairwoman of a special city-wide Youth Summit that was held in Tucson, and is asked to speak all over the country and around the world on empowering teens to make a difference in their communities.

Gabriella first got involved in community service when she was in the third grade. It was then that she witnessed the horrors of school violence. Drug-related riots had broken out opposite her school playground. In an effort to eradicate this activity from her school environment, she founded Be Alert and Don't Do Drugs.

During an exclusive interview with Gabriella, who TEENSPEAK met at The White House, I asked her why she started BADD. "Many grown-ups think that teens just hang out and go to the movies. Reaching out in our community is not only necessary, but fun as well." She remarked that often adults/parents alike are oblivious to the fact that teens want to take part in helping to make important decisions in our communities. "Teens," she said, "should take this important step into the adult world."