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This year was full of growth, impact, and youth-led achievements. In a year marked by both challenges and opportunities, Influence the Choice remained focused on what matters most: empowering youth, engaging our community, and advancing prevention efforts that create lasting change. Thanks to the commitment of students, staff, volunteers, and community partners, 2025 was a year of continued progress, meaningful connection, and youth-driven impact across our programs.  Youth Advocacy Day 2025 kicked off the year with a powerful example of youth-driven impact. On January 20th, students met directly with legislators to advocate for policies that better protect young people. One key topic was the significant tax disparity between cigarettes and other nicotine products, like vapes, that are more commonly used by youth. Students shared data and personal perspectives showing how this disparity was harmful to youth. Since then, WA state has taken action to subject nicotine products to the tobacco products tax, helping close a loophole that our TECH students helped bring to light (learn more about changes in state law around nicotine here). Art with Influence once again highlighted the creativity and insight of local students. Through 2D art and videos, youth explored themes of substance use prevention and mental well-being. The Art with Influence gala celebrated their work and reminded our community that prevention messaging is most powerful when it comes directly from young people. Check out the 2025 2025 Art with Influence video winners here. Our Resource Fair and Hidden in Plain Sight Event gave parents and caregivers a hands-on look at the potential subtle signs of substance misuse in teens. ITC delivered the Hidden in Plain Sight presentation alongside a resource fair featuring a dozen partner organizations, including Family Connection, Community Care, and Friends of Youth. Parents learned practical strategies to support their teens, connect with local resources, and stay informed about current trends in youth substance use. In 2026, we are offering an updated Hidden in Plain Sight curriculum. Learn more about how to bring this vital information to your community. TECH student involvement remained strong throughout the year, with students building leadership skills, supporting prevention efforts, and connecting with peers. Community-building events like the July skate park hangout gave students a fun space to connect, share ideas, and strengthen their networks. TECH clubs are now established at Skyline and Liberty High Schools, with Issaquah coming soon, expanding outreach and momentum even further. TECH students have been, and will continue to be, at the heart of ITC’s youth-led advocacy and peer leadership. The Action Forum for Youth brought students and community members together to learn, connect, and engage in meaningful dialogue. The forum opened with a foreword from Superintendent Tow-Yick, setting the stage for a collaborative conversation about youth well-being. ITC Executive Director Marnie Maraldo shared updated Healthy Youth Survey data, providing insight into current substance use trends within our community. Our student panel followed, offering real-life perspectives and experiences that deepened our understanding of substance use trends among ISD students. These discussions left participants informed and empowered to advocate for youth well-being in their schools and community. Our Drug Take Back Day & Food Drive demonstrated the power of community action. Together, participants safely turned in over 10 pounds of unused prescription medications and more than 70 pounds of food and toiletries to the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank, supporting both prevention and community well-being. In 2025, ITC engaged with the community at a variety of events, including farmers markets, National Night Out, the Issaquah Cultural Fest, and Salmon Days. At these events, we connected with community members through meaningful conversations and shed light on youth substance use in our community. You can plan to see us again at these events in 2026! Looking ahead, end-of-year planning is already in motion for next year’s programming, including Youth Advocacy Day, Power of Me, Power of We, and Art with Influence. We’re excited to build on this year’s momentum and look forward to continuing our work in youth substance use prevention and supporting the overall well-being of young people in our community in the new year.
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By: Fiona Ton (Student and Member of TECH Youth Coalition) Authors Note: As a Sophomore at Liberty High School in Renton, WA, I take great pride in sharing my thoughts and voice here at the TECH Youth Coalition in Influence the Choice (Teens Encouraging Community Health). Here at TECH, I am welcomed to a very inclusive and approachable environment filled with many students with views to change the world in terms of mental health and substance use. I am extremely honored here at TECH to be a part of this organization as I get to explore new meaningful opportunities ranging from promoting campaigns to having the chance to talk to Washington legislators about our cause and our ideas. I believe that the topic of alcohol use regarding teens is very important for me because living in a society where people close to me are affected by alcohol concerns me as a teenager myself and a representative to advocate for more awareness. I take this chance to spread my ideas and personal thoughts regarding mental health to give a voice for my community, and I hope to one day to create a healthier future and environment. Being a member and advocate under TECH Youth Coalition will bring me further in sharing my voice.  According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “12.7 million people ages 12 to 20 (32.9% in this age group) reported that they have had at least one drink in their lives” (NIH). In the 21st century, the consumption of alcohol has increased amongst teenagers and has started to become a worldwide epidemic. However, many teenagers don't take a second to think about the future consequences that lurk from their shiny and attractive packaging—consequences that break an innocent teenager’s well-being. To fully understand the severity of the downsides of alcohol on teenagers, it's essential to consider how alcohol interferes with one of the most important aspects of development, the brain itself. Alcohol Manipulates Brain Receptors, One of the Key Components of Brain Growth for Adolescents:  Prefrontal Cortex As a child grows into adolescence, their brain development is one of the key aspects that distinguishes their thinking, decisions, and behavior from their younger counterpart, often acting on maturity rather than emotion. Due to this vulnerability during development, many factors and influences can heavily impact and reduce the development of a teen's brain, which is developed through the prefrontal cortex. One of these influences is alcohol, as it carries more negative side effects to the brain than other influences. This is due to the reason that alcohol contains the depressant, ethanol, meaning that once it's entered into the system, this causes the key neural transmitter systems contained in the prefrontal cortex, such as the GABA and glutamate systems, to slow down, reducing the ability to make common decisions and keep control through adolescence. This brain’s neural processes then adjust to the negative effects being created, slowing down the whole neural system. This creates the relaxing and soothing feelings of alcohol, but on the inside, your brain is constantly being disrupted, affecting the way teenagers absorb information and develop into maturity. Short-term Psychological and Behavioral effects of Alcohol on the Teen Brain: When relying on the soothing effects of alcohol, this causes the impairment of cognitive functions that are relied on by your brain. As a teenager ages through decisions and experiences where risk-taking is crucial. This expands the brain plasticity of your development, creating the growth of new neural pathways in the brain to adapt to new types of learning skills. This exposure to new activities and information, however, is vulnerable when alcohol is inserted in the brain, which establishes a blockade of how the brain matures to function, causing behaviors to be more delayed and slurred. For example, this can be seen in the lack of sleep, effects in muscle coordination, lack of memory, and if it gets to a higher point, frequent blackouts. These blackouts are caused by the “euphoric” feelings created by alcohol, giving a false sense of security and conformity to one’s mind. When being approached with the societal craze of the positive effects of alcohol comes with the accumulative downside of destroying neural pathways in your brain, blocking the development of growth in the neural system. Long Term Effects in the Real World: On average, “Adults who had taken their first drink of alcohol before the age of 15 were 6.5 times more likely to experience an alcohol use disorder than those who didn’t” (Responsibility). This explains the build-up of alcohol intake that can affect the well-being and livelihood of many teens even after going through adulthood. This high dependence on alcohol not only affects your brain function, which becomes linked to disorders like binge drinking or heavy drinking, but this can also create a negative and inflammatory effect on other organs. This can be seen through the heart and liver as high blood pressure is stimulated by the overuse of receptors in the neural system and hormones into the brain, creating life-threatening conditions and diseases such as strokes, kidney diseases, or even cardiac arrests. When one small drink may be seen as harmless, this can ultimately shorten the well-being and life of one precious individual in the world. Main Consensus: The Dangers of Alcohol on Teens As alcohol starts to become popular among teen culture, being widely available in many areas where teenagers can get a hold of it, it's best to recognize the dangers that can lead to addiction. These dangers result in altering brain functions and cognitive skills that will impair their way of learning and growth in the short and long term. It's best to recognize and spread more awareness of this cause because it's important to understand the severity of this situation amongst teenagers and take it into account in their future actions. In addition, it's important to look over our own friends and family to keep them safe and healthy before it's too late, creating a healthier and supportive community. If you would like more information on community initiatives here at Influence the Choice, please contact us and reach out. We are always here to listen to your thoughts! We offer many programs and events to promote substance awareness and our cause. Be sure to check it out!  WORKS CITED:
“Underage Drinking in the United States (Ages 12 to 20).” National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/underage-drinking-united-states-ages-12-20. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025. Bonnie, Richard J. “Consequences of Underage Drinking.” Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1970, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37591/. “Statistics on Underage Drinking.” Responsibility.Org - Promoting Responsible Alcohol Decisions, 3 Oct. 2025, www.responsibility.org/alcohol-statistics/underage-drinking-statistics/ “Teen Drinking & Brain Development: What Every Parent & Teen Should Know.” The Impact of Alcohol on the Developing Teen Brain, 5 Apr. 2025, deconstructingstigma.org/guides/drinking-teen-brain. “Underage Drinking in the United States (Ages 12 to 20).” National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/underage-drinking-united-states-ages-12-20. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025. |