Operation Snowball is an international alcohol, tobacco and drug-use prevention program founded in Illinois in 1977, focusing on leadership development to encourage young people to avoid taking drugs.
Operation Snowball is part-funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services, and governed by an elected board of directors.
The students designed and piloted a peer-to-peer drug and alcohol prevention and intervention program in 1980, in which Barrington High School students met with class groups at Barrington Middle School to discuss the impact of alcohol on their lives, their decision to abstain, and the consequences of abstaining for their lives.
From its inception, Operation Snowball was run by youth managers, with adults in primarily advisory roles.
The programs follow the same principles and guidelines, and may include weekly meetings, weekend retreats, drug-free alternative activities, peer mentoring, and community events.