The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai’i’s Youth Council has been blessed with some amazing interns over the past few years. The students choose an aspect of the work the Coalition does that most interests them and create a project around it. These projects have ranged from Instagram educational campaigns to large-scale awareness efforts and everything in between. The majority of these students go well beyond the required hours of their practicum spending a full year involved with the Youth Council. This greatly expands what the Youth Council can achieve, while at the same time providing students with hands-on experience in the field.
Intern Theresa Ng was recently recognized at the CTFH Stakeholders Meeting with the ‘A‘a Award, which is presented to an individual who has made a significant or outstanding personal contribution of volunteer time to the Coalition and to furthering tobacco control efforts in the community. Theresa joined the Youth Council in 2021 prior to starting her Applied Learning Experience and has continued to play a vital role well beyond the completion of her required hours.
Often working in the background, Theresa helped provide opportunities for our high school members to shine in the public by coordinating presentations for them with community groups across the state where they presented on the Council’s policy priorities. She helped plan and lead statewide training meetings as well as facilitated biweekly leadership meetings during much of her time with the Council. Upon graduation, she will be working as Senator Chang’s Committee Clerk at the State Capitol.
