Olivia Shackelford became a member of Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) to make a difference in her school and oh what a difference she had made! Olivia affectionately known as Livy to her friends was selected as the recipient of the Youth Prevention Award for 2025! The award will be officially presented at the Heartland Prevention Conference, taking place at 4 p.m. on June 5 at the Renaissance Waterford Hotel in Oklahoma City, located in the Grand Ballroom.

Her letter announcing the exciting accomplishment stated, “This recognition reflects Olivia’s outstanding achievements, dedication and impact in her community. Her nomination stood out among a highly competitive field, and the selection committee was deeply impressed by her.”

A resident of Eufaula, Olivia is a sophomore at Oktaha where her mother teaches. One day while driving home she told her mother that she wished the school offered healthier options at the school’s concession stand and her mother replied, “Well, what are you going to do about it?” Right then Olivia decided she was going to do something about it and she did.

She became an advocate for change.

“First, I think you have to recognize that there’s a problem,” Olivia said. “Then you have to be willing to be a part of the solution. That’s why I became an active member of the Youth Action for Health Leadership, or YAHL. It is a youth-led initiative that partners with schools and organizations to make a measurable impact in Oklahoma by promoting healthy behaviors, which I believe we need in all of our area schools. So I organized two Elevate Student Health events at my school, which is one of the YAHL campaigns focused on improving the overall well-being of students which includes having clean drinking water, healthier concession options, and more time for physical activity during the school day. Each time the students were more engaged and grateful for the healthier options. It was inspiring!

“Being part of YAHL has been a journey for me because now I realize how much of a difference we can make in our communities if we advocate for change when we see the need.”

As a part of YAHL, Olivia also works on the CounterAct Tobacco campaign, which is an initiative working to move the power out of big tobacco’s hands and into the consumers through comprehensive tobacco retail licensing.

“Vaping and e-cigarettes has also become a huge problem with teens, especially within the school system. Of course there’s the peer pressure from friends who vape because they think it’s cool. However, now companies are also targeting young people and they have added flavors like cotton candy, strawberry kiwi, and banana to entice their taste buds and keep them coming back for more. So we needed to bring more awareness to our communities and advocate for change here too by going to the Capital to speak with legislators to push policies to keep vaping off school campuses. By being a part of YAHL, I have been given the chance to make a real difference in my school and community. I want to continue making a positive impact and helping my fellow students lead healthier lives by making healthier choices.”

Besides being active in her school through YAHL and being on the Student Council and Robotics team, Olivia is also active in the Eufaula community. She is active in her youth group at Eufaula First Baptist Church and volunteers in her community with other programs that bring awareness.

Olivia has been a volunteer with Paws N Claws – Eufaula for over a year and a half, where she volunteers at the Eufaula pound to help find new homes for abandoned dogs in McIntosh County and she participates in community events to bring awareness to animal abandonment, abuse and neglect.

Last year she also participated in the Suicide Prevention Walk – Out of the Darkness, under the direction of Sharina Little, who lost her nephew to suicide. Olivia stated she plans to participate again in that walk on Sept. 20.

“I am honored to be the recipient of the Youth Prevention Award and hope to make a positive difference every day in the lives of others by pushing for change when there is a need.”