Award winner Tyler Banting didn’t receive an honour for what he’s done, but rather for what he doesn’t do.The National Addictions Awareness Week council (NAAW) presented Banting with this year’s Healthy Youth Role Model award on Nov. 24.Banting makes a conscious decision to avoid drinking alcohol or taking drugs. When presented with the award and the customary plaque and gift basket, Banting was slightly confused – he’d never considered being teetotal to be award-worthy before.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t even know why I got this. They just put me down, I guess,” said Banting.
Banting, a Creighton Community School student, received the NAAW award at the end of National Addictions Awareness Week, held from Nov. 12 to 18.
Two students from Hapnot Collegiate, Nathan Whitbread and Evan Hooper, received a similar award.
For Banting, avoiding drugs and alcohol is a point of personal preference.
Banting hopes to become a writer and possibly attend university in Saskatchewan.
“I think I’m really good at that,” he said. “We’ll see what happens over the next few years.”
