Students and their families learned about making good decisions from community members at the “Just Think: Teens Making Smart Choices” expo Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Over thirty nonprofit groups held stations at the event, encouraging teens to discover community resources at school for seeking help and making healthy choices. The event was sponsored by the PTSO.

The event’s main goal was to help teens navigate life’s pressures in order to stay safe and healthy. Stations addressed various topics including healthy habits and stress reduction. One of the evening’s mini sessions, held in the cafeteria, was about vaping and e-cigarettes and being aware of the risks of using them

PTSO member Sally Brickell, who coordinated the event said there are two purposes to the night, which served as a “prevention event.”

“One is to let parents and teens know what resources there are in the community to support families,” she said. “The second point is to really emphasize a culture of convention and let kids know there is a lot of constructive activities that they can engage in.”

Other activities were also held to entertain and inform visitors. They included henna tattoos, winter cookie decorating, a yoga demo, and a boxing lesson run by NNHS Boxing Club. Visitors chose from a selection of free refreshments and pizza.

Throughout the evening, North a capella groups performed as visitors explored the stands and events.

The PTSO also held a raffle featuring prizes and a chance to win Air Pods. On Main Street, tables for multiple clubs and school groups were lined up, from Ligerbots to singing groups such as Forte and Northern Lights.

Junior Emma Bradshaw, who enjoyed the expo, said, “I think the expo is interesting and fun because you get to learn about cool organizations and listen to music from students at North,” she said.