SANDRA BELTRAN, STEPHANIE BERG, FATIMA BIAYE, ELANA CASALNUOVO, MOLLY DAVISSON, NATALIA FORRER, GAVIN FRONT, LAKHVIR GILL, KEASON HOLEHAN (GRAPHIC ARTIST), KATE MESSINGER, EMILY RAAB, CHRIS SNYDER AND JENNA STAMM WITH TEACHER SHELLY NORSTAD
Peer Resource Team of Drake High School  

Twelve students from the Peer Resource program at Sir Francis Drake High School will be honored for their pioneering spirit in both learning about breast cancer and risk reduction, and teaching a single lesson presentation to their peers in a pilot project created by Marin Breast Cancer Watch. The Shining Star Youth Award is presented to younger members of the community who have demonstrated leadership and a commitment to breast cancer awareness.

Working as a team, this group of students has applied their knowledge and skills as peer educators to a public health issue that affects many Marin families and the community. A Drake High Computer Graphics student who designed the project brochure also shares this honor. The Peer Resource student team participated in MBCW's training course, then helped to plan and teach a presentation and evaluate the project results. In the current school year, the Adolescent Peer Education Breast Cancer Prevention Project has reached nearly 300 students and teachers.

Tomorrow's leaders and teachers, and future healers and scientists, the Drake High Peer Resource team is the first group in the country to pilot a youth oriented program of breast cancer awareness that includes environmental exposures in teen messages on breast cancer prevention. Their teacher Shelly Norstad says it best, "I’m proud of what these students have learned and how they are seeing the application in their own lives, as well as to peers, family and friends."