Bright Futures - Barbour County

22/12/2025

Last Thursday, Bright Futures Barbour County held their Christmas Party at Battlers K**b. The organization whose core mission is substance use prevention and delay of the substance use among youth, spent the evening in fellowship and recognition, and ended it with a spirited gingerbread house build competition.

There are over 40 local organizations and entities that are members of Bright Futures and several of them received a gift in form of additional funding to help offset the cost of utilities and transportation. These groups provide space for local youth to be physically active at no or minimal cost, as well as provide transport for youth who do not have access to it in order to get as many as possible to participate in county activities. Those receiving checks are: Young Life, Weaver Nazarene Church, Barbour County Strutters, New Vision, New Life, City of Belington, Camp Hope, Brownton Community Center, and Battlers K**b.

Additionally, the night included special recognition of Prevention Works graduates. Prevention Works is a program that places local youth with businesses in the county and provides opportunities for earning various certifications. Aside of gaining job experience, young people within the program also were able to get CPR certification and/or driver s permit, giving them a leg up for future employment opportunities.

Bright Futures will hold their annual member signing event on January 22 at Battlers K**b. Groups and organizations that become members will benefit from having their program amplified through public relations and communication, as well as be eligible for various forms of additional funding. Those interested should contact Marija Ilic at 304-476-0016 or marija12@hotmail.com.

16/11/2025

Schedule for today, Sunday, November 16

6-7pm - skill session, boys and girls. Please let me know if your kid is coming so I can plan the session

7-9pm - open gym - open to everyone/all ages

13/11/2025

There are only four spots open in the CARE afterschool program for 3 and 4 year olds.

CARE stands for Community, Attitude, Responsibility, and Empathy — the values that guide everything we do. Through these principles, students will build friendships, develop leadership skills, and receive mentorship from trained teen leaders under the direction of Odie Haddix and a team of dedicated mentors in partnership with New Vision and the Prevention Works Pathways Program.

Program Details:
When: Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 3:30–5:00 PM
Where: Chestnut Ridge Epicenter
End Date: December 17 (End Ceremony: December 18)
No sessions: Week of November 11 & 19, and week of November 24.

The sign up form is in the link.

CARE After-School Program Enrollment Form Child Information Full Name: _________________________________________________ Date of Birth: ______________________________________________ Grade: ______________________________School: ______________________________ Parent/Guardian Information Name: __...

24/10/2025

24/10/2025

Last night, our youth coalition hosted a Pumpkin Carving Competition at 17 North. They had fun carving while also informing our community about the misuse and abuse of prescription medicine as part of the Dose of Prevention challenge. The event took place immediately after our coalition meeting so we all got to stay and take part. Congratulations to the Bright Futures Youth Coalition on their planning and ex*****on of their Pathfinder Pumpkin event.

Congratulations as well to our pumpkin contest winners, including Bryce Yost and Ezekiel Iwunor for People's Choice, Jake Merancio, Elly Lawrence, and Arianna and William Canfield for Most Spooky Pumpkin, and Bri Tenney, Brylie Jones, and Isabella Dalton for Most Creative.

In our surveys of Barbour County youth, a common complaint was a lack of things to do and caring adults. These teens set out to do something about it and get pumpkin all over themselves while they did it. Way to go!

15/10/2025

Our youth coalition has assembled a bunch of vegetables and carving implements to share who they are and why what they do is important. Come support teenagers working in prevention and gaining employment skills!

The Prevention Works Pathfinders have organized an event to get people out and covered in Pumpkin. Thursday the 23rd, from 5-7, at 17 North in Philippi.

The entry fee for pumpkin teams is $10. Pumpkins judged on spookiness, creativity, and fan vote.

Come support our youth coalition as they spread awareness and knowledge of teenage abuse of over the counter medications, while also showing off their skill with gourds!

09/09/2025

Free training tomorrow on adolescent use of opioids, stimulants, va**ng, and ma*****na.

Free training tomorrow at 10:30 AM via Zoom❗️

✅Describe current patterns of adolescent substance use, including opioids, stimulants, va**ng, and ma*****na

✅Recognize how substance use in school affects adolescents

✅Apply strategies for prevention, early intervention, and cross-sector collaboration to support youth

Register at https://danyainstitute-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/SGsSmM_yTHe_Nujf_RrfGw #/registration

05/09/2025

Check out this great opportunity for the youth in Barbour County!

28/08/2025

We are excited to return to our monthly meetings and reconnect with our youth!

We encourage you to attend this week's special meeting to hear from several of our youth who participated in the CADCA Mid-Year Training Institute.

We will also review our 12-month action plan for 2025 and 2026 and begin planning a Teen Expo in partnership with the Barbour County Family Support Center.

Tonight’s meeting will be a great opportunity for us to identify how we can each contribute individually to the work we do in the community.

20/08/2025

We are making one final push to get as many responses as possible. If you are a parent or guardian of a middle or high school youth, please consider taking this brief survey!

Thank you for helping us guide the work we do!

🌟Are you a parent or guardian of middle or high school aged youth in north central West Virginia?🌟
If so, WV Prevention Solutions wants to hear from you!

We’re conducting a short five-minute survey looking at barriers to youth involvement and issues concerning youth substance use prevention.
💻Click the link below and make your voice heard!
www.wvengagementsurvey.com

03/08/2025

Thank you, Tammy Zimmerman and Philip Barbour Athletics, for giving us the opportunity to speak to the fall coaching staff about Substance-Free Athletics. We look forward to working with your teams this fall!

02/08/2025

We had a great time handing out notebooks to the youth at the Bounce Back to School event! We were also able to hand out over 150 Parent Handbooks from Operation Parent. Bright Futures also sponsored an Android tablet as a door prize!

Thank you to coalition members Paula Daniels, Ian Tallman, and Josh Allen for coming out!

We look forward to speaking with the coaches at Philip Barbour High School tomorrow about our Substance-Free Athletics program!

Thank you to everyone for continuing to support the work we do!