From left to right: City of Kingman Police Chief Rusty Cooper, KPD School Resource Officer Phil Hudgens, City Manager Tim Walsh, Vive18 Speaker Zion Givens, City Clerk Annie Meredith, Police Captain Brian Zach, and Kingman Academy Middle School Principal Michael Perrine.
KINGMAN – The City of Kingman recently used funding received through the national opioid settlement agreements to bring motivational speaker Zion Givens of Vive18 to students at the middle and high school campuses within the Kingman Unified School District as well as Kingman Academy of Learning. More than 2,600 students participated in the presentations, which focused on making healthy choices, avoiding substance use, and building positive futures.
Unlike traditional prevention presentations that rely heavily on scare tactics, Givens delivered a message centered on confidence, purpose, and future goals while connecting with students in a way that felt authentic and relatable. Using humor, real-life examples, and interactive conversations, he engaged students throughout the presentation and spoke to them in a style they could easily understand and connect with. Givens shared that he has never used drugs or consumed alcohol, explaining that he made the decision at a young age to prioritize his dreams, opportunities, and future success. His message encouraged students to understand that healthy choices are not something to feel embarrassed about, but something to take pride in, and that they can build exciting and fulfilling lives without substance use.
Vive18 is an education-focused prevention platform that helps young people make informed decisions about drugs while reshaping social norms around substance use through positive and relatable messaging.
“The City of Kingman is committed to using opioid settlement funding in ways that create long-term positive impacts for our community,” said City Clerk, Annie Meredith, who was instrumental in making this partnership happen. “Providing prevention education and encouraging healthy decision-making among local students is an important part of that effort.”
Funding for the program was made possible through the City’s allocation from national opioid settlements, which are designed to support prevention, education, treatment, and recovery efforts in communities impacted by the opioid crisis.
