The chapter is privileged to have a number of outstanding young people with Tourette Syndrome who have volunteered to become TSA Youth Ambassadors (YAs).  YAs are a key element of its awareness program.  They attend training with a parent who is the other half of the team.  Each YA is educated in the facts and myths about TS and trained to give presentations to peers, professionals and the community at large.  These teams volunteer their time to speak about their experiences with TS, provide accurate information about the disorder and its symptoms, promote tolerance, dispel stereotypes and provide leadership and support to other TS youths in our chapter’s community.

The current TSA-NYHV Youth Ambassadors are

• Ben Tamarin of Irvington
• Julia Gottlieb of Briarcliff Manor
• Camerin Figueroa of Middletown
• Josh Wachtenheim of Scarsdale
• Jack Klion of Scarsdale

Among them during the past year they have done presentations for schools in Brewster, Mahopac, White Plains and Edgemont as well as to the Briarcliff girl scout troop.  They have also represented the chapter at the Make a Difference Fair in West Nyack, the Guidance Expo at the Westchester County Center, the New Rochelle Transition Fair and on two radio shows, “Health Matters” on WTBQ in Warwick and z100 in New York City, which reached an audience of about a million listeners.

If you’d like to schedule a Youth Ambassador presentation, contact the chapter at info@tsa-hyhv.org    A new brochure has also been produced for the chapter’s YA program.  Anyone wishing to obtain copies should contact the chapter.

Ben Tamarin

Julia Gottlieb

Camerin Figueroa

Jack Klion

Josh Wachtenheim