LYNN — Teens voting at the annual Harmony Among Lynn Teens (HALT) conference voted to choose Mandee’s Pizza as the “best tasting pizza.”
Mandee’s was picked from among the more than 60 donated cheese pizzas at the conference held this past weekend and was voted best for the second consecutive year.
Part of the Solution youth council along with several local organizations such as the Communities that Care Coalition, the Lynn Police Department and the Lynn Housing Authority come together every year to help put on the annual Harmony Among Lynn Teens (HALT) Conference.
This year was the 15th annual conference and the theme was “Above the Influence,” not just including substance abuse, but also being above things like bullying, unprotected sex and violence.
Part of the Solution youth council’s goal for HALT was to engage their peers in activities designed to educate, but also have fun celebrating those who choose to be “above the influence.” Workshops included anti-bullying, teen pregnancy prevention, self-image in the media, and many others pertaining to different teen issues.
The guest speakers portion of the event included local author Jacquelyn Delorenzo and spoken word artist Ashaad Suarez. Jacqui focused her message on never giving up, and Ashaad spoke about standing strong and freedom of expression.
This year, we had a special guest performance by the band Afro D All Starz. Their music is a fusion of jazz, funk and hiphop, also including Afro D’s spoken word. Peer leaders of Part of the Solution youth council also recognized community leader Bob Connolly for his ongoing support and participation in the youth council and at HALT.
