Our Mission
To create a partnership of youth and adults from all walks of life to train and empower teens to educate their peers about the prevention of substance abuse and other addictive behaviors, and to lead by example by accepting individual differences and advocating for healthy decision-making in communities.
What happens at the Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute?
The Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute is a 5-day youth leadership conference sponsored by the Illinois Alcoholism & Drug Dependence Association. Formerly known as the Illinois Teen Institute, it is an award-winning program that offers opportunities for teens around the state to learn about leadership, healthy choices, and working with others to create better communities.
Participants and staff will gather to listen to important announcements regarding CGTI and hear from motivational and/or information speakers! The purpose of general sessions is to provide each participant with the knowledge, skills, confidence and inspiration to lead an alcohol, tobacco and other drug-free life, strengthen leadership skills, and promote healthy decision-making.
Following general sessions and/or group activities, discussion groups will meet to discuss and reflect on thoughts and feelings regarding the presentation or activity. Each discussion group will also take part in games and activities designed to build skills, friendships and self-esteem while networking among youth from all over the state and diverse backgrounds.
Round Robins take place on one day during the week and all participants attend each workshop. Participants are grouped together and, throughout the day, rotate through specific sessions that raise awareness, educate and develop leadership skills.
CATs are made up of youth who attend the same school or live in the same geographical area. Action teams will receive training and guidance to become local agents of change for their own school and/or community. Teams work cooperatively to determine the needs in their schools and/or communities and then create “action plans” specific to those needs. The goal is that youth return to their schools/communities ready to implement a plan of action for positive change.
TRAX are workshops offered on two days of CGTI that focus on the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies. A variety of TRAX options are provided each day, and the participants choose which TRAX they would like to attend. TRAX topics can vary from alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention to dating violence to relaxation techniques. The idea is that participants will leave a TRAX workshop with a new skill set to help them excel as leaders and change agents.
CGTI understands that taking time to enjoy yourself and have fun are important components of making healthy choices! Free time is an opportunity for participants and staff to take a break from CGTI, relax, and have fun!
About the Cebrin Goodman Center
Lillian and Larry Goodman created the Cebrin Goodman Center in 2005 in memory of their granddaughter, Cebrin, who lost her battle with drug addiction. The Goodman family wants to spare other families the pain of losing a loved one by educating teens, parents, and communities about substance abuse and other challenges facing teens today. The Cebrin Goodman Center is committed to the goal of helping young people fulfill their potential as happy, healthy, contributing members of society. The Cebrin Goodman Center supports ongoing partnerships with organizations whose expertise, vision, and passion uniquely position them to help young people develop the strengths to resist the formidable lure of drugs.
