![Kendra O'Malley is the new Florida Region 1 Youth Advocacy Board leader for Students Working Against Tobacco. [Special to the News Bulletin]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-55b7e55c-4af4-0b74-e053-0100007f96de-00d7be85.jpeg)
CRESTVIEW — Students Working Against Tobacco, Florida’s statewide youth-led movement to combat the tobacco industry, announced the names of its new Youth Advocacy Board members.
The group named Crestview resident Kendra O’Malley its Youth Advocacy Board leader, which means she will represent Region 1 SWAT clubs. Region 1 includes the 18 counties from Escambia to Madison and Taylor counties.
"I am most looking forward to working with the amazing people I have met and to be working on our new health message," O'Malley said.
Members of the SWAT Youth Advocacy Board will serve a term through June 30, 2018.
The Youth Advocacy Board works with the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida to plan SWAT's direction and goals, and provide input on the state’s youth prevention efforts.
Students work with county grantees to support initiatives that educate their peers about tobacco use, help protect youth from tobacco, and strengthen local policies, especially those that protect the public from secondhand smoke exposure.
SWAT aims to empower, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against Big Tobacco by de-glamorizing tobacco use, shape tobacco free norms, and make tobacco less desirable, less acceptable and less accessible.
Another Northwest Florida teen elected to the YAB is Catalina Rios of Santa Rosa County.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview teen to help lead Florida’s anti-tobacco movement