Students Advocating for Life Without Substance Abuse
Why should you join SALSA?
Earn community service hours: In 1 year of participating in SALSA you could earn ALL of your CSL hours
Flexible commitment: come to one meeting, or all, very MANAGEABLE with schedules and sports
A TON of different ways to get involved with our community
Create your own project or design with a group of friends
Looks GREAT on College Applications
It’s so much FUN :)
SALSA News
August 8, 2024
This year, 121 SALSA members contributed 1,544 hours of service in Needham, an 11% increase in hours over last year. SALSA Leaders:
Spoke at the NHS Coach’s meeting. They encouraged coaches to set high standards for athletes around chemical health.
Planned and piloted a new Wellness Club at Pollard Middle School focusing on Mental Health skills for elementary school students.
Spoke with Legislators at MA State House about Substances and Mental Health
Video highlights for 2023-24 school year
SALSA Leaders 2023-24
SALSA at Kick Butts Day at the MA State House
January 25, 2025
Needham Students Advocating for Life without Substance Abuse (SALSA) members recently participated in the Youth Power Summit in Worcester, MA where youth from across MA came together to learn about racism, becoming a community champion, and to understand that they are not alone in the fight against the tobacco and vaping industries. This annual event is hosted by The 84 Movement/HRIA/MA Dept of Public Health.
January 15, 2025
On January 15, 2025, Needham High School SALSA students Kate Black and Eva Scharf met with State Representative Joshua Tarsky at the MA Statehouse. Through a youth training initiative hosted by the MA Alcohol Policy Coalition (MAPC), local students have been learning about MA alcohol policy and visited state legislators to discuss how to prevent youth access to alcohol. Pictured also is Vanessa Wronski, Substance Use Prevention Coordinator for the Needham Public Health Division.
January 18, 2024
Liana Osgood, Allie Weiss, and Ella Tometsko met with Representative Denise Garlick on December 19th, 2023 about their student-led project. Liana and Allie are the leaders of the Parent Advocacy Action Team from SALSA (Students Advocating for Life without Substance Abuse) at Needham High School. These students are working to serve as a “bridge between parents and their children” by providing resources to parents for having conversations with their children as they enter middle school. The Parent Advocacy Action Team encourages parents to have conversations with their child about issues their child may be exposed to such as the importance of healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with mental health.
April 21, 2021
Learn more about the work of these SALSA advocates in a recent newspaper article in The Needham Times!
SALSA member Izzy Currie met with U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss' office on April 21, 2021 to advocate for a federal ban on flavored tobacco products.
SALSA member Sophia Posada met with U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss' office on April 21, 2021 to advocate for a federal ban on flavored tobacco products.
SALSA Students Attends Kicks Butt Day!
click here to read more!
SALSA Covid-19 Safe Thanksgiving PSA: CLICK HERE TO VIEW
Students Advocating for Life Without Substance Abuse (SALSA) member, Abby Hunninghake, created a pamphlet to further their vaping awareness campaign.
"Needham School Spotlight" interview with Superintendent Dan Gutekanst and SALSA
SALSA accomplishments in the 2021-2022 school year!
Needham Channel Interview (December 2021)