We Are Family

by Rachael Pishtek

 “Talking about the issues of substance abuse and mental illness are very important to me because they are the things that are affecting people my age the most.”

Anna, a student from Hillsboro, has been part of the Northern Lights SADD program for six years.

Students Against Destructive Decisions or SADD, is one of the programs coordinated by Northern Lights Youth Services that truly changes lives of students.

Without SADD, Anna would not have the majority of her friends and would not have the support of the SADD family to make the right decisions. SADD isn’t just an organization or a community, it is a collection of individuals who are bound together by what can only be described as a genuine necessity to see that everyone lives up to his or her full potential.

Programs like SADD are fulfilling the mission of Northern Lights Youth Services which is “to lead in the development and support of positive youth development.”  With your help, students like Anna will continue to be part of this family and serve as a resource for students. You can help change a life today with a donation! 

About the Author

7Rachael Pishtek


Rachael Pishtek is a SADD alumna who served on the Northern Lights Advisory Board for two years and as the North Dakota representative on the National Student Leadership Council 2011-2012.

Pishtek, a 2015 graduate of Concordia College,  now works in marketing and development for Northern Lights Youth Services.

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