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Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at 3:55 AM

Mustang Youth Team Lands in Nashville for National Prevention Conference​ - Students share stories, lessons, and inspiration from the fiel

Mustang Youth Team Lands in Nashville for National Prevention Conference​ - Students share stories, lessons, and inspiration from the fiel

The Mustang Youth Team (MYT) has touched down in Nashville, Tennessee this week for a
national leadership and prevention conference and they’re already making their voices heard.

The team, made up of eight local youth and supported by chaperones Tina Gallagher and Wendy
Nelsen, is attending the CADCA Mid-Year Training Institute, a powerful weeklong event
focused on youth leadership, substance abuse prevention, and community impact. Sponsored
through the Frontier Community Coalition prevention program and made possible by the
dedication of local adult mentors and a generous state-funded grant, the trip is a major milestone
for the Lovelock-based team.

This year’s team includes:
Joshua Elerick, Millie Canchola, Marisa Ramirez, LaReina Ramirez, Mia Canchola, Austin
Gallagher, Magdalena Ramirez, Mya Gauvin, and Chaperones, Wendy Nelsen and Tina
Gallagher.

“The biggest takeaway today was that we have the power to make a choice and change the story
of addiction,” LaReina Ramirez said. She shared that one of the most impactful lessons was how
sharing personal stories can be used to help people understand the progression of addiction.

While the first day was jam-packed with workshops and learning sessions, the kids made time to
reflect on their experiences.

“My favorite part is probably seeing all the different people and collaborating with students from
all over,” Mia Canchola said, one of the youth leaders. “And learning new things we can take
back to our community.”

Others were struck by the power of choice.

“Everyone has a choice, and they don’t have to go down a bad road,” Austin Gallagher said,
summing up a theme echoed by several teammates.

The team has also learned practical skills they can bring home to Lovelock. Mya Gauvin noted
that fundraising and organizing events can strengthen both team unity and community

involvement. Joshua Elerick appreciated the chance to work on public speaking, saying,
“Practice it until you get it right and have confidence.”

Magdalena Ramirez and Millie Canchola both emphasized education as prevention, that sharing
the effects of drugs on the body, and offering support and resources for those who might be
struggling.

For Marisa Ramirez, connecting with other attendees and understanding why they came to the
conference was a highlight: “I liked interviewing people and learning their stories,” she said.

Behind the scenes, the trip was made possible thanks to a strong show of support from the local
FCC prevention team, with Chaperone Tina Gallagher recognizing Stephanie Cook for
championing the team’s involvement and ensuring funding was in place so every student could
attend. “She wanted to make sure they got to go,” Gallagher said.

The team will spend the rest of the week in Nashville attending workshops, networking with
students from around the country, and building the kinds of leadership and prevention skills that
will ripple back into Pershing County for years to come.

As Magdalena said, “You can have a good and happy life without all that. That’s what I want
people to know.”
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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