A youth-orientated motivational speaker is coming to the Island to speak to high school students about the benefits of not drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

Ty Sells is no stranger to Bermuda having made a number of previous trips during the past ten years in his role as a speaker with the Youth to Youth International group, which aims to show young people the negative consequences from taking drugs or alcohol simply to appear ?cool? amongst a minority of their peer group.

High schools across the Island will benefit from Mr. Sells visit next week, which will be rounded off by a retreat-style mini conference for 50 or 60 students at Bermuda College.

The events have been organised by PRIDE, which works to educate and empower young people and adults towards healthy lifestyles by turning them away from drug and alcohol use.

During the week of events the messages being highlighted include how to have drug and alcohol-free fun, personal growth, and environmental change. Ohio-based Mr. Sells said: ?Youth to Youth is about leadership and empowering youth. We have been to Bermuda many times and we have a number of Bermudians come to our (US) conferences.?

His own experience within the programme had such an impact on his life that Mr. Sells wants to pass that on to other young people coming through their school years.

The father-of-triplets is now 38 and has been married for the past 16 years but remembers clearly how his life was changed through Youth to Youth. He said: ?The general message in the schools is to accept that people are different from you and not to judge them and treat each other with respect.

?A lot of time young people make decisions that are ?cool? for now but are sacrificing things in their future.?

The weekend retreat for youngsters who want to take the message and teaching even further will involve finding out about how Youth to Youth runs its weekly meetings and creates community activity plans.