We know you've been waiting on pins and needles, so we're excited to announce that the 2011 SADD National Conference will be held Sunday, June 26 - Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Chicago, Illinois!  Mark your calendars today and make your plans to join us next summer.

Registration and pricing details will be posted very soon on the sadd.org homepage.  We are making every effort to keep the conference ground package price affordable, but we do anticipate that prices will increase from previous years (the 2010 ground package price was $699 for students and $799 for adults, which includes conference registration, hotel, and meals).  As you plan fund-raising efforts, be sure to visit sadd.org frequently for tips and ideas.

We hope you're excited to hear this news, and we look forward to seeing you in Chicago next June!

Each month, a member of SADD National's Student Leadership Council (SLC) will write a column designed to help chapters with useful activity ideas, meeting suggestions, and more. 

What's up, SADD students and advisors?  I'm Zach Jones, SADD National SLC Executive Committee member.  Currently, I attend Whitko High School in South Whitley, Indiana, and I plan to attend Indiana University to pursue a degree in physics next fall.

A time for delicious food and fall colors, November is also SADD's "Wipe Out Smoking Month," dedicated to the eradication of smoking among teens.  While smoking among teens (and adults) has dropped significantly over the years, it remains a serious problem.  To all SADD students and advisors, I say it is up to us.  It is up to us to help, heal, and bring the smoking pandemic among young people to a swift and definite end.

The American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout, held this year on November 18, provides a perfect time for your chapter to focus on anti-smoking/tobacco activities.  There are downloadable posters, table tents, and other materials at the ACS website.  Besides putting up posters, making school announcements, and trying to gain media attention, your chapter can take an individual approach.  I often try to provide support to smokers, offering gum and a few words of affirmation as they struggle to quit.  A little time on your part can mean a world of difference to smokers.  So what do you say - let's work together to end teen smoking!

If your chapter is interested in making a difference this month and needs help, post a question on the SADD National Facebook page or see the Wipe Out Smoking Month page for more resources.  Good luck with all your smoking prevention activities!   

In the Spotlight this month is Riverview High School SADD from Sarasota, Florida.

With 30 years of experience in the youth health and safety arena, Stephen Wallace, SADD Chairman and featured presenter of our celebrated Speaker Series, shares a wealth of knowledge and practical advice in both parent/teen and parent forums.  He is passionate about empowering teens and parents to communicate openly about the critical issues and choices young people face and celebrate the positive steps they take on the way to becoming happy, healthy, and productive adults.

Stephen was recently honored with Susquehanna University's Distinguished Alumni Leadership Award.  Click here to read more about this tremendous honor.

Consider hosting Stephen for the Family Focus program - our most popular presentation and a perfect way to introduce a season of safe celebrations for your school and community.  His book, Reality Gap: Alcohol, Drugs, and Sex--What Parents Don't Know and Teens Aren't Telling, makes a great holiday gift.  Selling books at your event is an effective fund-raiser, and Stephen will personally autograph each copy sold.

For more information, click here or call Nicole Cheschi at SADD National at 877-SADD-INC (723-3462), ext. 222.  When you book your event, you'll receive a complimentary copy of Reality Gap for your school's media/resource center.

Our brand-new SADD Store is still in development, and we hope to launch it by the end of the year.  In the meantime, every day is a sale day as we try to clear out old inventory - you can find plenty of great products at 30-50% off the original price!

You'll find sweatshirts and hoodies for chapters stuck in the cold for the next five months, and plenty of t-shirts, shorts, and SADD flip-flops for those chapters in the sun.  We also have cute, affordable items priced at a dollar - attitudes for living and "Friends for Life" bracelets and emPOWERed wristbands - that are perfect for holiday gifts or as chapter giveaways.  You'll find rock-bottom prices on the SADD Sportspack (pictured), baseball caps, and more.  And every purchase helps SADD National support our chapters - now that's a win-win!

To receive a list of items and pricing or to order, contact Nicole Cheschi at SADD National at 877-SADD-INC (723-3462), ext. 222 or e-mail ncheschi@sadd.org.