Since its establishment in 2004, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth’s (VFHY) statewide youth program, Y Street, has served as a vital resource for training youth across the commonwealth to promote healthy behaviors in their schools and communities and influence policy change. Over 10,000 youth have been trained to date and emerged as leaders, with a select few chosen yearly to join the program’s prestigious Y Street Leadership Team (YSLT). One of these inspiring young leaders is Ashley, a senior at Central High School in Woodstock, VA.

Ashley Coulson, a recent graduate of Central High School in Woodstock, VA and Y Street alumna, was a member of Y Street throughout her time in high school and served on the program’s prestigious Leadership Team (YSLT). Now, she can add another accomplishment to her resume: This fall, Ashley was awarded the Outstanding Youth Award in the 2024 Governor’s Volunteerism & Community Service Awards! 

Ashley’s commitment to the program and dedication to creating positive change has allowed her to mobilize her peers and community members to take action in various meaningful ways:

“I think it’s important to continually meet with people to raise awareness for our campaigns because these issues affect each individual in some way. Each individual can help us solve these issues by simply filling out a survey or helping us take steps towards a policy victory.”

Ashley’s advocacy efforts over the last three years, such as participating in community events to raise awareness about tobacco-free and vapor-free outdoor spaces, assessing residents’ perspectives of tobacco use in parklands through survey collection, and meeting with local park leaders, motivated Warrenton County Parks & Recreation’s to adopt a tobacco and e-cigarette-free outdoor policy and partner with the Share The Air Campaign. Ashley says, “Seeing the process of the Warrenton policy win through, from the very first Zoom meeting with the park director to the policy victory at the town council meeting, was so exhilarating. Knowing I had made a lasting impact in the community reminded me that my voice matters just like every other passionate youth voice.”

In addition to her impressive work with helping to create tobacco-free outdoor environments, she has participated in numerous conferences, serving as a presenter at the 2023 Warren Coalition Youth Leadership Summit, in a session titled “Ways Youth Can Make an Impact,” and as an exhibitor at VFHY’s Champions for Youth Summit and the Virginia Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AHPERD) Conference.

Ashley’s passion for making a change through connecting with her peers and community led her to secure a nomination and an overwhelming vote for the Y Street Executive Board secretary position. This position oversees the Leadership Team to motivate and support them to drive youth-centric activity program-wide. Ashley recognizes how much Y Street has given her over the years: “Y Street has brought me out of my shell in many ways and allowed me to thrive, not only as a young leader but also in other areas of my life. Through Y Street, I’ve learned that change doesn’t magically happen on its own. We can talk about the issues we see in our communities and bring about the change we want to see together. I wouldn’t be who I am today without my experience as a part of Y Street.”

Ashely graduated from Central High School in spring 2024. This November, she was recognized by Governor Glenn Youngkin with a Volunteerism & Community Service Award. The award celebrates Virginians who devote their time to making a difference in their communities. Ashley received an Outstanding Youth Award, which celebrates young changemakers age 18 and under.  

We’re so proud of Ashely and her tireless work to empower her peers to make healthy choices!  

Learn more about VFHY’s award-winning statewide youth program, Y Street and its youth leaders.

This blog was originally published on January 17, 2024 and was most recently updated on November 18, 2024.