Episode 11: Youth Prevention in Action, From Community Policy to Peer Advocacy

Episode Summary:
In this episode of Inspire Shasta, hosts Maggie Joyce and Jenn Cobb explore the vital work happening across Shasta County to combat youth tobacco and vape use. Debbie Burkett, Tobacco Compliance Specialist at Shasta County Public Health, shares what it’s like to visit more than 200 retailers across the county, educate business owners, and work alongside law enforcement to keep illegal tobacco products out of kids’ hands. Debbie breaks down new laws, compliance checks, and a proposed new local tobacco retail license in the city of Redding. Then we hear from youth advocates Audrey Bull and Kaitlyn Wendland, two inspiring young leaders who’ve grown up in Shasta County and stepped up as powerful voices for prevention. They share their lived experiences, what they’ve seen in local schools, how peer pressure impacts youth, and the power of youth-led education and policy change—including speaking at Redding City Council meetings.

💬 Topics Covered:

• Tobacco and vape product laws in California, including flavored product bans
• What it’s like doing tobacco compliance checks with local retailers and law enforcement
• Why a local tobacco retail license could change the game for prevention
• Firsthand stories from students about vaping in school bathrooms, peer pressure, and intervention
• The role of personal growth classes and early education in prevention
• Youth advocacy and how it influenced city policy
• Shifting the norm: making it “cool” to care about your health
• Moving from punishment to education-based responses for youth who vape
• Advice from young people on what messages and methods actually reach their peers

🔥 Memorable Quotes:

“I’m not trying to shut down your business. I just don’t want you selling to kids.” – Debbie Burkett
 “Our friends are struggling, and we want to help. That’s why we do this.” – Kaitlyn Wendland
 “I’ve been passionate about prevention since I was in a stroller at a beach cleanup.” – Audrey Bull
 “Education—not judgment—is what makes the biggest difference.” – Maggie Joyce

🧰 Resources & Get Involved:

• Tobacco Education Coalition (TEC) – Join a passionate group of community partners working to keep youth tobacco-free (https://www.shastacounty.gov/health-human-services/page/tobacco-education-coalition)
• Contact: Debbie Burkett, Tobacco Compliance Specialist, (530) 225-3745

🙌 Final Thoughts:

Youth voice is more than valuable—it’s essential. This episode shows how education, support, and action—especially from young leaders—can shift norms, shape policy, and protect the next generation. Whether you're a parent, teacher, student, or community member, there’s a role for you in prevention.

Transcript

Inspire Shasta Podcast #11 part 1_ Debbie Burkett

Host Maggie Joyce: [00:00:00] Welcome back to Inspire Shasta podcast. Today we're excited to be joined by Debbie Burkett, a tobacco compliance specialist at Shasta County Public Health. Welcome, Debbie. Thank you. I appreciate the invitation. Yeah, we're excited to have you here today. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Uh, so Debbie, here at Inspire Shasta, we have a signature question that we ask all guests, and so the question goes to you, if you could go back to any grade in school for a day, which one would it be and why?

Debbie Burkett: This is an easy one. Ladies, third grade. I was new to the school and there were so many firsts for me, like I went to, in my class. There was a gal who had never seen snow before. I grew up in Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho. The snow. All the snow, and she walked over to the window middle of the class and was enraptured and so wow taken and I just remember being. Wow. It's, it's just snow. But to her [00:01:00] it was magical. 

Yeah. 

Debbie Burkett: She ate paste. Hmm. And I thought kids in Idaho eat paste. Okay, that's fine. And I also learned cursive, which was pretty dang special. Wow. Yeah. My teacher was just wonderful. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah. So, so cur cursive is a positive learning experience for you.

Exceed, exceeding positive. 

Debbie Burkett: I, I practiced my cursive. For years. 

Host Maggie Joyce: I'm gonna guess you have really nice handwriting. I actually, it's not a superpower, but I do. Yeah. I dunno. For those of us, I can print decently. Mm-hmm. But I don't know how beautiful curse of it. I think it's a superpower. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Um, you're in good company because Maggie and I both 

Host Maggie Joyce: did.

You really? Mm-hmm. Yep. For very different reasons, 

Host Jenn Cobb: but Aw, that's so cool. Mine was Mrs. Sturgeon and yours was Mr. Mr. Letta. Mr. Letta, Ms. 

Debbie Burkett: Peterson. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Oh. Mm-hmm. I love that. Shout out to third grade. Yay. Don't eat the paste.[00:02:00] 

The point. Uh, so Debbie, we would love to know what does a day-to-day look into your work world look like, especially as it relates to tobacco sales clients? 

Debbie Burkett: Well, I have what I fond refer to as my grocery list of laws, and I take it with me for every retailer I see in. Shasta County, and there are about 216 retailers in Shasta County.

Wow. And I take this list and there are laws that are really created to protect our kids. So public health really honed in on those when they set up this in-house program for compliance to be in public health. And I go in and I introduce myself with my business card. Either I'm a target, they're scared or upset, or they're like, great.

Come in. 

Yeah. 

Debbie Burkett: And uh, I just check their license. I go through the grocery list. If I see an issue, I say, you know what? [00:03:00] I'm seeing something that needs to be fixed. And I educate 'em on that. And I'll say, I'll see you in 10 days. You get this taken care of. And I give them anything they need to be successful.

And I come back in 10 days and usually it's taken care of. 

Host Jenn Cobb: What would you say is like the percentage of taking care of and not taken care of? 

Debbie Burkett: Mostly taken care of. Okay. Really, it's usually two things. Flavored products. Mm-hmm. Or not having a current tobacco retail license, which is crazy. Wow. Like. This is really important.

You have this license Yeah. To, to sell these products. Yeah. So 

Host Maggie Joyce: you also work closely with law enforcement? Oh, I do. Yep. And you, and you're a part of something that they call busts or compliance checks at stores. Can you walk us through a little bit about what that looks like in comparison to what you just shared about your, your normal compliance checks?

Debbie Burkett: Yes. It's really, really fun because it's a whole different world with law enforcement and we use [00:04:00] cadets from law enforcement and they're under 21. And I kind of walk 'em through what it's gonna be like. And so, um, the cadet goes in and asks for a product.

And we know if there's a sale and they come out with the product or not. And so there have been times when it's been real frustrating. We've had a string of sales and so we'll land on a retailer that didn't sell and the officer jumps out of the car and runs in and goes, thank you. You're doing a great job.

And that kind of stuff. It's, it's really, it's really fun. It's really an interesting experience. 

And if there is a sale to a minor, then there's a citation issued and we all go in and I educate 'em and remind them, Hey, I gave you this sign. I talked to you about how to check an id. Even if you're in a hurry or having or feeling frazzled, take the time.

Breathe, read the dates. Yeah. [00:05:00] All those things. 

Host Maggie Joyce: I really like the piece about the education 'cause it seems like you are doing that like on the front end, but even when, um, a product is sold to someone under age, you're also reminding them, you know, these are all the tools that you have. And really what we want is for our businesses to be selling legally.

Yes. Um, and not selling illegal to legal to our children or with the flavored. Products. 

Debbie Burkett: That's exactly it. My, my main role is educating retailers and law enforcement. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah. So you probably build a lot of relationships that way. Oh, I 

Debbie Burkett: do. Yeah. 

Host Jenn Cobb: That's great. I think there's probably maybe a perception that, you know, you're just coming in there to crack down, you don't care and all of this stuff, but it really sounds like you have a lot of grace and a lot of patience or people 

Debbie Burkett: Well, I try.

I went into a retailer this week and she has. It's admirable because she is so fiercely loyal to her boss, but she's aggressive and angry and afraid. And, [00:06:00] um, so this time I went in, when I saw I had to follow up with her for the third time, I was a little bit anxious about it. And then I thought, just breathe and, and let her know where you really at.

Yeah. 

Debbie Burkett: And I just said, look. I'm not trying to shut down your business. I don't want your business to shut down. I just don't want you selling to kids. And we had this long, I was there for like 40, 45 minutes just trying to build a relationship with her and build that trust and give her information and let her know I wasn't making things up outta my, pulling 'em outta my hat.

Right? Yeah. 

Yeah. 

Host Maggie Joyce: I would imagine like there's probably a lot of preparation just for yourself that goes into even entering into a business. 'cause you really don't know what you're gonna get. Like, are you gonna get the really angry, um, owner or store clerk? Are you gonna get somebody that really just wants to work with you, doesn't also want to sell to minors?

Are you gonna get somebody that just is [00:07:00] gonna always be complacent and ignore your recommendations or you know what they need to be doing? So you probably have to take a lot of. A lot of self care to prepare yourself to go into those situations. Mm-hmm. That's really insightful because I 

Debbie Burkett: encounter all of that on a daily basis and there have been times when I've just put on a brave face and been respectful and professional and gone to the car and just cried.

Yeah. 

Debbie Burkett: Um, 'cause it's not easy. Being the target. Yeah. Like, but then there's retailers that think that I'm the governor's best friend and have him on speed dial, and they're like, can you come in? And they start talking to me about things that aren't even in my lane. Yeah. I'll walk in and, yeah. It, it's actually endearing because it's taken me years to get to this point.

Yeah. Where they're trusting me and thinking that I can advocate for them on other levels. Yeah. 

Host Jenn Cobb: So. For the retailers who maybe don't follow the rules, can you explain to us [00:08:00] what happens for those selling illegal products and for those selling to miners and how those are different and how those are similar and kind of that whole process?

Debbie Burkett: Yeah. In 2022, the state passed a flavor ban and. Though the law had good intentions, it was poorly written, so there were so many loopholes and so much confusion. So initially enforcing and educating was very tenuous and it was frustrating for everybody, retailers, for me, for everybody. Fast forward to this year, January, 2025.

One of the cleanup bills to the flavors is it gives local law enforcement. Opportunity to cite and seize. Mm-hmm. So that's where the follow up can come through, because I cannot cite, I cannot seize, [00:09:00] I just educate and encourage retailers to do the right thing. So, so prior to 2025, nobody could do anything at all?

That's correct. Wow. Yeah. So they had a law with no teeth. Right. So, um, this has been. Really exciting and I've worked closely with the Redding Police Department, getting them up to speed, and um, just had an intense training with them two weeks ago and they just went out and seized some flavored products.

And I read that article and I was like, I was very excited about that. 

Host Maggie Joyce: So the seizures aren't necessarily in combination with your work, but you're doing a lot of education with law enforcement on their role mm-hmm. In that? Mm-hmm. Yes. Okay. 

Host Jenn Cobb: That's very interesting. So what do the penalties look like for illegal products and selling to minors?

Debbie Burkett: Okay, well those are two different things. Okay. So illegal products. If you get caught with illegal flavored [00:10:00] products, it's $50 an item. So if you have a pack of CBD cards and those are like flavor enhancers and there's. 50 of them in a little box. It's a large number. So for every flavored product, it's $50 for a flavored pro, plus the the criminal penalty.

Um, but selling to a minor now, the laws in January, 2025, they upped the penalty to a thousand dollars to $1,500 for selling to a minor for each infraction. When we go in with decoys. Yeah. Okay. Or if somebody, I don't know how RPD would know somebody's selling to 'em. I mean, we know we hear it all the time, but to see it in action, to verify, um, that's a sizable Yeah.

Fine. Wow. Yeah. 

Host Maggie Joyce: So that's definitely some incentive on the store [00:11:00] owner's part to make sure that they are in compliance with the law and that their clerks are educated on what needs to be done in order to sell a product, right? Mm-hmm. I think sometimes people do get a little, and I don't know if complacent is the right word, but they do the job over and over and over again, and maybe we're just not looking at the ID as well as we should.

Yes. Or, you know, the steps, we're just not taking the appropriate steps to ensure that we aren't selling to minors. Mm-hmm. And so it sounds like these new laws or um, extensions of old laws mm-hmm. Are really helping the store, store owners not make those choices. Right. And educate their staff. Right. 

Debbie Burkett: The onus really is on the store owner, the licensee, to make sure his employees know what's going on.

Yeah. I mean, I go in and help and support and do anything I can, but really when it comes down to it, the owner needs to make sure his employees know what the laws are. Yeah. 

Host Maggie Joyce: [00:12:00] Recently, uh, the Shasta County Office of Education's Prevention Department and tobacco compliance took center stage at the Redding City Council meeting.

Uh, can you give us our audience an overview of the goal of tobacco retailer licensing for Redding and why it's important, and maybe even share what your experience with the Redding City Council meeting was like for you. 

Debbie Burkett: I was very proud of the kids that showed up and the support from the community that we had.

Yeah, the kids were remarkable and I really appreciated them stepping up and being brave. Um, the tobacco, uh, retail license is really crucial for a community, a local tobacco retail license. So what a local. Tobacco retail license would do, number one. It would level the playing field for all tobacco retailers.

If we had a code enforcement officer or two, that would be their job explicitly would be [00:13:00] the tobacco lane and that would be 

Host Maggie Joyce: fabulous. And so would that code enforcement officer potentially work hand in hand with you as well? That would be my 

Debbie Burkett: hope that I could be able to train that person, or like boots on the ground in the beginning, go in and say, you know, show 'em the ropes.

But that's not up to me. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah. 

Debbie Burkett: But I, I have offered all kinds of help to Redding Police Department. I want them to be successful. I want them to continue in the tobacco lane and help keep these products out of the hands of our kids. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Sounds like that collaboration is already existing. I mean, it sounds like you guys work really well together and it's really needed.

Right? Because if you don't, if you both don't work together and you don't talk together, you're just doing stuff in silo, right? Yeah. 

Host Jenn Cobb: I don't know if I heard this correctly, but it sounded like you said for those that have a retail license and sell tobacco, so are there some retailers that. Don't have a [00:14:00] license and are selling.

Debbie Burkett: That's what I'm saying. Okay. And I can't do anything about it. Okay.

Host Maggie Joyce: So in Shasta County, you don't have to have a license to sell tobacco 

Debbie Burkett: by state law. Every tobacco retailer has to have a tobacco retail license. A local retail license would be a separate and secondary license for retailers in the city of Redding. Okay, interesting. And it would include all retailers in Reding, which levels the playing field, because then we have enforcement and then we know.

It just makes it easier for everybody to stay on board and do the right thing. 

Yeah. 

Debbie Burkett: So, 

yeah. 

Host Maggie Joyce: And at the Redding City Council meeting, was there a lot of support behind that?

Debbie Burkett: It was actually a mixed bag. Um, initially there was some concern about just having, [00:15:00] um, tobacco vape shops. Pay for a local retail license. And there was this misunderstanding that they, that tobacco vape shops were the only violators in the city of Redding. Mm-hmm. And I was able to share the data that I've had experienced and seen, and that's just not true.

Yeah. 

Debbie Burkett: So just every retailer level, the playing field, make sure everybody's compliant and keeping this stuff out of the hands of our kids.

Host Jenn Cobb: Yeah. What is next? That you can foresee in the future of tobacco compliance 

Debbie Burkett: I was really pleased. Yeah. At the end when they said, okay, we need to come back and we need options. Yeah. And so I was really, really gratified that they, they listened. There were, um, retailers there who supported just the tobacco vape stores [00:16:00] paying.

Mm-hmm. Um, and there was a lot of community support. Yeah. So for having a, a retail license altogether, I don't know that anyone was hesitant about not having one. To have it comprehensive and have it be successful have it make a real difference. Mm-hmm. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Yeah, I thought it was really cool being in the crowd because once you get to the end of those meetings, people start to clear out and then it's just small pockets.

Yes. It felt like everybody's family and friends were there and it was like this big concerted effort and it felt like, oh, this is a wonderful thing. Like it makes you proud to be a part of the community that you're a part of. 

Debbie Burkett: That is really well stated. Yeah. I actually. So grateful. I wanna do a happy dance in the lobby.

Like, 

yeah. Yeah. Because 

Debbie Burkett: we've worked hard. This has been going on since October of 2023. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Yeah. And I know that you and Kristen Schreder and Mark Mezzano, you know, have just been working on this whole thing and even down to Mark [00:17:00] bringing pizza for the students who are speaking. It was just, wasn't that sweet.

Yeah. It just very thoughtful. I love our community. Yes, I do too. So for the listeners out there who want to get more involved or wanna learn more, what's the best next step or next steps that they can take? 

Debbie Burkett: I would say I would recommend reaching out to me. 

Okay. 

Debbie Burkett: Because we have a tobacco education coalition, and that's community members and business partners that come together to support the mission of protecting our community, and especially keeping tobacco products out of the hands of our youth.

Mm-hmm. And. Like you said earlier, it's just like one big family. Yeah. And we support each other personally and on on, on a business level. It's just a really meaningful group of people. So if you're interested in coming on board, please reach out to me. I'm happy to hook you up with our coalition. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Yeah. And it is a really special coalition to be part of.

Mm-hmm. And we'll have [00:18:00] your information in the show notes, so that's perfect. Thank you. If you can grab onto that in the Facebook for TEC and there you go. Come be part of our happy family. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Well it has just been a joy having you today. Thank you. I am hopeful listening and hearing about all the work that you're doing and how collaborative it is, and it really is to protect our youth and.

I mean, if you can't get behind that, I, I just don't know what you can get behind and mm-hmm. Yes. Yeah. This vaping epidemic. It's an epidemic and it is, and, um, the further we can get it away from our kiddos, the, the better our future and their future will look. Mm-hmm. So I, I appreciate all the work that you do and all the provision efforts in the county and thank you.

It's been a great time having you. This has been a blast, you guys. Thank 

Debbie Burkett: you so much.

Part 2: Youth Advocates 

Host Jenn Cobb: So now we have, uh, two youth advocates with us today. Uh, we're excited to welcome both Audrey Bull, who is a 2023 Shasta High grad, and now current UNR, university of Nevada Reno swimmer, uh, and current youth commission member and recent graduate Kaitlyn Wendland.

Welcome. 

Audrey Bull: Thank you for having us. Yeah. Yeah. Thank 

Host Maggie Joyce: you for having us. Totally. Yeah.

Audrey and Caitlin we're fortunate enough to have you guys on the podcast today. And, um, I think what makes it so great is that you are youth that grew up in Shasta County that went to local Shasta County schools.

And so I. I, um, would imagine that you've had some experience with, um, tobacco use on your campuses in school and substance use on campuses. And so can you tell me a little bit about what that experience was like for you, um, in schools in Shasta County and how that impacted the work that you began doing when it comes to substance use prevention and the work you're currently doing? Kaitlyn, you [00:01:00] wanna start? 

Kaitlyn Wendland: Okay. Um, so a little bit about my experience for substance use and tobacco use in schools is, um, when I went into my freshman year of high school, I'd heard about it in, um, our personal growth class at Grant, but I never like actually seen people like vape and stuff like that. And my freshman year I'm going into the bathrooms and there's just like bunches of girls just vaping. There's just like clouds of smoke and it was just. I was like, oh, this is high school. Like this is, this is different. Welcome. Yeah, this is different. Um, and that was my experience with just seeing it firsthand.

And I had had friends like that had vaped my freshman year and I was like, Hey, like, well, like how can I help you guys? Like we learned about like prevention and like a little bit of intervention stuff in personal growth, but we hadn't really like I guess really dived into it, Uhhuh and my freshman year, I was like, well, how can I help my friends?

And that's. Like, I feel like I've carried that with me. How [00:02:00] can I help my friends or like people that are around me at least. Um, and my freshman year I really tried. I didn't really know how and they kept vaping. My sophomore year is when I really started to get into prevention stuff by doing stuff with Youth Action Council through Youth Option Shasta.

And I did a presentation, um, the following year through Youth Action Council. Um, and then my junior year I had like. A lot of extracurriculars I was a part of and there was a lot of prevention and a lot of intervention, um, components to those extracurriculars. And I've always just kind of tried to keep in the back of my mind, like, how can I help my friends?

How can I help my peers with what I learn? So 

Host Jenn Cobb: that's awesome. Yeah. Like coming from a heart of service and a heart of just loving your friends really well. Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: Audrey, how about you? Um, I had a lot of experience with seeing my peers experiment with tobacco products. It started really in junior high. I remember a lot of the kids would get in trouble for, um, [00:03:00] vaping and smoking in bathrooms.

And so I kind of expected that to be a much bigger issue in high school, which it totally was. Um, there were vaping alarms in the bathrooms and teachers had to take time off their breaks to babysit and be bathroom monitors. Kinda like what Kaitlyn was saying, as soon as you walk in the bathroom, it's like strawberry clouds or whatever the flavors were.

Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: And it was just the norm. It was just what you expected. It's what you did. I remember sophomore year, um, we were coming back from COVID and none of the bathrooms would be open 'cause they just, all the admin just decided like, we're done, we're locking the bathrooms. And so it was so hard to just be able to go to the bathroom and see how every, how, um, the tobacco products affected the entire school because the bathrooms were closed and it affected everybody's day to day. Um, so I knew that was a big issue going into high school. And I've been, uh, I've done a lot of work like with prevention throughout my life. Uh, my mom worked for public health when I was a baby. Mm. And she tells me stories about how when I was. About three [00:04:00] months old or if that they did a, a beach cleanup at Whiskeytown to clean up cigarette butts and whatever, and she'd like, had me out there.

I was like a baby. 'cause she wanted to support her kids and, you know, she couldn't do much 'cause she was carrying around a newborn baby. But, um, you know, technically I've kind of been helping with prevention since I was a baby. So, and then, um, when I was seven, I kind of went back to public health. And I helped work, um, with public health to do a PSA on e-cigarettes mm-hmm.

Which are now vapes. And it was kind of when they were first, uh, gaining traction and becoming a bigger thing. 

Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: Um, and so I was, it was really interesting to be able to do that. And I was the only person probably under 30 in the room, um, to be kind of the, the youth voice for that PSA. So that was really cool.

Yeah. So I really, I'm passionate about it. I've seen how it affects my peers and the education in Shasta County. And it's been a part of my life pretty consistently throughout my whole life. So. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Would you say that [00:05:00] the reason that the prevention matters so much to you personally is 'cause it has been integrated, it's kind of something that has been there since you were born and you've seen the negative impacts on it?

Audrey Bull: I, I think so, for sure. Um, it's been a part of my life for my whole life. I've known, um, the effects of it, and I've seen how it affects those around me at school and especially now in college too. Um, I'm an athlete and I see how, um, the impacts that it, the negative impacts that it has. On these people who train and pride themselves on being healthy and then make these decisions that affect their body.

Yeah. So, yeah. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah. And for Kaitlyn, it seems like with what you shared that it, you just always knew it was something that you didn't wanna do and your approach to it was to be of service to your friends and your peers. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: Yeah. Um, I had always like, um, most of my family like smokes and, um, I. No one really vapes, but like my grandpa smoked, my grandma smoked, um, my grandma had passed [00:06:00] away of lung cancer when I was like nine and she had smoked her whole life.

Um, my parents had smoked before and I was like, I don't wanna do that. Like, it was just never really something like. I just, I was like, um, no. It's like not for me. Yeah. Um, and then when I got to high school I was like, oh, this is like affecting like my friends, like my best friends, like the kids that are in the honors classes Yep.

Are even vaping, the kids that are in the AP classes. Then the CP classes too, and it was just like. Well, like, I know I'm not gonna do it. I'm gonna like, I know I wanna be the first one in my family to not do it. And I also was like, I really wanna help my friends too. 

Yeah. Yeah. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: Like my friends are, they mean a lot to me.

Yeah. Um, and I was like, like, I really wanna help 'em. Yeah. And even though we're not friends now, um, like through my service, through my volunteering and stuff, I still keep like their faces and their names like in the back of my mind I'm like, [00:07:00] well, like. Like the system failed, like those kids with like the education aspect of it.

Mm-hmm. But it's like, but if we can prevent that and if we can have students that like, I don't wanna say, won't turn out like those other kiddos, but if they can like be steered on a different path, like then that impact matters. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah, I think, like from my perspective as a parent, vaping. When my kids were in junior high, it became pretty popular and it felt like it wasn't something that students even thought that would be, they would become addicted to.

I think it was something new and shiny and they were yummy flavors. Yeah. And it was just something that everybody started to do with zero thought. And you fast forward to somebody that has been vaping since junior high and they're in high school and now they're addicted and they might even not realize that they're addicted, but they're anxious and they have to leave class to vape.

It's not. They want to leave class to vape. It's literally that they have to. And so I think all the [00:08:00] education that's happening now around that will really help our younger generation mm-hmm. Choose to not vape and get, become addicted. Because now we have teenagers or young adults who have been doing it since they were in seventh, eighth, ninth grade, and they really feel like I've tried to quit and I can't, you know?

And so I love that there are youth out there right now. Mm-hmm. Educating their peers because. That's really who youth listen to. Mm-hmm. Um, and so I hope that it really changes our younger generation's experience with what I would consider now an epidemic in not only our county, but nationally. 

Yeah. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Um, I.

So speaking of our county and the city of Redding, both of you had the experience of speaking at the Redding City Council meeting recently. So I would love to know how, what was your process or how was your process with leading up to that and doing it? Was it everything you expected it to be? Tell me how that was for you.

Audrey Bull: Um, I really enjoyed being able to speak [00:09:00] at City Council. It was something I've never done before. Never been to a city council meeting. I didn't really know how it worked until I kind of got there. Yeah. And saw the, the whole process of the thing. Um, it was intimidating to get up there on the stand and, uh, face our city council mm-hmm.

And talk about this issue, but it was also really fulfilling because. It's an issue that we're all pretty passionate about. Mm-hmm. And it was just, it was very fulfilling to be able to talk about what it was like to grow up in Shasta County with Shasta County being having the highest rate of underage tobacco usage.

Yeah. In the entire state. 

Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: So that's not a good title to hold. Yeah. And it was, I really appreciated the opportunity to be able to do that and talk about my experience with it in high school and junior high and now in college. 

Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: And to be able to say how important it is that. To prevent adolescents from using because they become lifelong users.

Yeah. Like we've, we touched on that, um, because I've seen, you know, through, through the ages, through the years how it affects people and how, how hard the addiction is to [00:10:00] stop. Yeah. So, um, I really enjoyed it. It was really good. And to be able to be there and feel like we made an impact. Yeah, for sure. 

Yeah.

Kaitlyn Wendland: So this was actually my third time speaking to city council about a 

professional, 

Kaitlyn Wendland: yeah. About, um, tobacco, um, density within, um, the city, within the county. Mm-hmm. Um, and I love public speaking. I feel like I always have, so I I love the opportunity whenever I get it. Yeah. Um, so I really liked it. I really liked that it got passed. Mm-hmm. And with the four to one vote, I was like, oh my gosh. Finally, it's been like three years. Yeah. Like, it got passed because I spoke junior year. I spoke my senior year, and then I spoke again. Right. Like right before school ended? 

Yeah. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: Right after school ended, I guess. Um, yeah. So I was really happy that I got passed and I, I loved the opportunity.

I, I loved it. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Yeah. Man, you guys were champions for hanging in there because you know, like the [00:11:00] fire department got to speak right when it started at like six and then it's like mm-hmm. 6:30, 7, 7:30, and I don't think we were all, were out of there until like nine or something and Yeah. You guys stuck in and, and I think it's just, 

Host Maggie Joyce: yeah, just so great that like you've been a part of a conversation for three years and to watch it.

Actually make an impact. Um, and to where now there will be something that will change. Yeah. Um, tobacco sales in Shasta County, I would imagine for you it feels like I. All of that effort, and they're, they're listening to us. Mm-hmm. Like as a youth sometimes, um, and I don't know if you guys feel this way, but it's hard sometimes for adults, for youth to feel heard in a room full of adults.

Right. And so for you guys to be brave enough to go to city council, which even if you love public speaking, it's still an intimidating space. And for you to be brave enough to go and share your story and, and see the impact [00:12:00] of that. I just think like you guys have gotta be feeling like, did you walk outta there on Cloud nine?

Like, yes, something is going to change here for our youth. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: I, I think I walked outta there and I was like, yes it finally got passed. I was also kind of hungry too, but I was like, yes, it finally got passed. And then I was thinking, I was like, but like, this isn't like the end stop. Yeah. Like, like we can always like still do more.

And I was like, this is like the first step. Mm-hmm. And like. What else more can we do? Like my mind, I was like on the, um, drive to Denny's when to go to dinner with my parents. I was like, okay, what else can we do? Like, like it got past first step. Okay, cool. Like, what else can we do? Yeah. Yeah. 'cause that's just 

Host Maggie Joyce: one piece of the puzzle, right?

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Um, with that, like, what, what would you like to see happen? Like what else? When you were, you know, having your, um, dinner with your parents or when you were leaving the, uh, Redding City Council meeting, or just in general, um, what would you like to see happen in the future for vaping [00:13:00] and tobacco prevention in our county?

Audrey Bull: I definitely think just further restrictions on retailers and what they can sell and who they can sell to would be really beneficial for our county. I mean, ideally I would say, you know, if we, if we didn't sell any tobacco products, any nicotine products, that would be fantastic. But I. I just don't think it's realistic because people in Shasta County could just go next door to, I don't a neighboring county, a neighboring county.

Exactly. People find a way. Yeah, exactly. So, um, yeah, so they can, um, that wouldn't be, you know, ideal, but I think it would be a lot healthier for our county if we just kind of put an end all to it. Mm-hmm. Um, but it really felt good at the city council meeting to be able to make that difference, like Caitlyn was saying, to walk outta there and feel like we did something.

Mm-hmm. We, you know, it's a start for sure. 

Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: So I think that just kind of building off of that would be a great way to go and just figuring out what more we can do to limit the sale to minors and even if we, you know, could try to limit sale to everybody in the county, I 

Kaitlyn Wendland: [00:14:00] think, um. Like in a perfect world, like for education wise and for youth about tobacco and tobacco prevention, for every single middle school within the county, within the state, just maybe even nationally, she's gone. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Big folks. Yeah. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: Um, maybe to have like a personal growth class, like during, like it's probably between the ages, like for the grades, like fifth through like eighth grade to have that class, but like, hey, like this is like what a vape is. This is what it does to your body. I had that at Grant and I hated the class while I was in it. 'cause it had a lot of homework. And I was like, oh my gosh. Like why? Like when am I ever gonna need this? Mm-hmm. And then here comes high school and me and my friends were talking like during breakfast and we're like, oh, like yada yada, yada. And I was telling 'em, 'cause I knew about like the drugs and like the different stuff that the teacher had taught.

And then they're like, well, what's that? And I'm like, well, didn't you guys have a personal growth class? They're like. [00:15:00] No. Interesting. And the more people I talk to the like, they're like, oh, we didn't have one. We didn't have one. We got a packet of 50 pages that we just had to sign every day. And that was their education.

I was like, we had to sit in a class for like an hour for two years learning about like, this is what a vape, this is. Like what this is like, this is like, um, had to be kind to others, like bullying, peer pressure, stuff like that. And I was like, how is Grant one of the only schools that like taught that to their kids?

Like. Oh my gosh. So I, I would love for like every, like a 

Host Maggie Joyce: countywide curriculum or something like that. Yeah, yeah. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: For everyone to have that opportunity, for everyone to like, be like, Hey, I know what this is. 'cause I had friends that went to like, Turtle Bay, Sequoia and other schools and like, they're like, oh, well I didn't know what it was, so I just like.

They said it tasted good and they were vaping in the bathroom. I was like, no, no. But I would love just to have like an education curriculum for people. [00:16:00] Not just like a packet, not just like a, like week long training or something like a, like every single day. Like you have to like do homework on it. You have to study for the tests, actually learn yeah.

What this stuff is and like how to prevent it. Like you know it. Yeah. So 

Host Jenn Cobb: insistent reminder. Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: I even think building off of what Caitlyn said, that kind of as an alternative, uh, consequence for kids that get caught vaping or caught smoking. 

Mm-hmm. 

Audrey Bull: Instead of being suspended or having privileges taken away, they could take some kind of mandatory class on the, and educating about the, the dangers of the health.

Then the health, uh. What's the word? Consequences. Consequences for what it does to your health. And I think that would be your, like ed education instead of punishment. Mm-hmm. Or I mean, kind of in lieu of a punishment would be a really good way for schools to go. Yeah. If they could, um, you know, find the resources to be able to do that instead of just sending a kid home or Yeah.

You know, [00:17:00] suspension and, you know, whatever, lunch detention. So yeah, 

Host Maggie Joyce: I think schools around the state have started to do that. And I know that in Shasta County there's conversations about like, how, how do we make that work with. The resources that we have, right? Mm-hmm. Because school staff have a lot of responsibilities on their plate, but um, the suspension isn't helping the use of tobacco.

And so what can we do as a community, um, in a school site, school district to be able to change that so it moves our kiddos further away mm-hmm. From using or beginning to use or becoming addicted. Um, and so I think. Your idea is like that's starting in our county. Yeah. We're, we're heading that direction and just sometimes we go slower than we want to.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: To kind of build off, like what Audrey said, I, I volunteered there at high school in with Shasta County Peer Court and when we would get like respondents, like recommended to our program or by like whatever it was, probation school. Whatever entity. Um, sometimes [00:18:00] like if they're like, oh yeah, I have a problem with vaping, or I have a problem with like anger management or stuff like that, then through peer court we would place them in those classes.

Like, oh, a tobacco cessation class. Mm-hmm. I'm saying that right? Yeah. Um, and then where we place them in like an anger management class or something like that, so. I maybe like that might be a good way to go. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah. We're we're getting there. Yeah. Um, you guys have shared your guys' experience and from your perspective, what do you think either draws students to choosing to vape or keeps them vaping?

Audrey Bull: I think in high school it was just such a common social thing. It really mattered who your friends were and what they were into, and just the desire to fit in in high school and figuring out where you belong just really fueled the fire for vaping. You know, if your friends did it, you wanted to do it too.

You wanted to fit in, you wanted to be cool. I think that was a big, a big driving factor for high school. And [00:19:00] now that I'm in college, it's still prevalent, but you see less of it on a day-to-day basis. Like in high school it was the bathrooms, you know? Mm-hmm. You smell the smoke and you know, if you walk into the bathroom at college, you know, you're not gonna necessarily smell smoke in the library bathroom, but if you go to any type of party, it's there.

It's, that's where it shows up. It's a, it's a social factor at, you know, in college and the people who. Go out, go downtown, you know, they bring their vapes and, and cigarettes are making a comeback. Mm-hmm. Which is strange. Mm-hmm. And, um, they're 

Host Jenn Cobb: vintage. 

Audrey Bull: Yeah. So it's 2025. Yeah. Oh, it's retro. Um, I, so, I dunno, I think that's very strange when I see my friends smoking a cigarette.

Like, oh, okay. Mm-hmm. But, um, I think that like, at this point in time, like, everybody knows that it's bad for you. Yeah. They just don't care. Yeah. And so I think that. Finding a way to educate about that. It's cool to care about your health. Mm-hmm. And be a healthy person. [00:20:00] Mm-hmm. Would would help so much.

Yeah. Because, you know, we've spent years pe everybody knows smoking's bad for you. I don't think there's one person that's gonna be like, oh yeah. Cigarettes are great. Mm-hmm. Um, they just don't care. Yeah. They, you know, you know, it'll cause lung cancer and emphysema, et cetera, et cetera. But, you know, oh, those problems are a long ways from now.

I just wanna have fun with my friends and go to this party and smoke a cigarette, whatever. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: Um, so I think definitely it's still prevalent. It's still an issue. It just kind of changes as people grow older. Um, but, you know, we're, they're still the customers of Big Tobacco and just kind of educating on.

How serious the health benefits are and like caring about your health is a cool thing. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Do you think because it's so socially acceptable with like the, I would, I would probably say even fifth grade and up, because it's not something that kiddos are getting shamed for, for doing by their peers that it's easier to do because it's almost kind of like if you don't do it, you're not the [00:21:00] norm.

Audrey Bull: I would agree. Yeah. I think it's kind of on the same level of like drinking, like, um, if you go out to a party, it's kind of expected of you. Um, and it's, it's hard to be the lame one in the friend group to, you know. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Choose not to vape. 

Audrey Bull: Exactly. And you know, like my, my close friends know that I don't vape and I don't drink and like those certain things.

But, um, you know, I'm the, the weird one 'cause it's the, it's kind of the norm for if you're gonna go out to a party, if you're gonna go out to whatever, any type of social event. And it's hard for peers to say, you know, oh, maybe you shouldn't do this. This is really bad for you. Even though they totally know, but it's hard to, yeah.

To be that person when you know, and, you know, going through life in school, you're trying to fit in. Yeah. And so I think the, the acceptance is such a huge factor and it's just the norm. So I think just, you know, the education about it and teaching people that. Telling your friends this is bad is, is like sticking up for them.

It's a good [00:22:00] thing. Um, would go a really long way. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Making the norm not vaping Yeah. Would really, really help very easily. I said the more people that openly share that, that's not something that they do, maybe it would switch it the other way. I mean, I don't know. I'm just being hopeful. Yeah, yeah. 

Host Jenn Cobb: For both of you thinking about like prevention messaging from.

You know, just different people on campus. Mm-hmm. In, um, your personal growth class, what kind of messaging do you think really works with youth and what kind of message gets completely ignored? Like, where are we missing the mark and where are we hitting the markets? 

Kaitlyn Wendland: I know in personal growth, at least, like Mrs. Williams, as gross as the sound she had, would like, like. A jar of like tar and like different stuff and be like, if you smoke, this is what's gonna be in your lungs. Mm-hmm. And she would show us and we'd all be like, Ooh. Like creepy. Ew, gross. Yeah. Like, I, I know that that worked. I was like, like, oh my gosh, [00:23:00] no.

Yeah. And I know my peers were like that too. Like, just like showing people, like not in like a scare tactic way in, just like a medical, like this is what happens. Like. You go from A to B if you do this or whatever. I think what doesn't always help is like posters. Posters can help sometimes. Mm. But sometimes I feel like they're not always like the most effective.

Yeah. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: But I also, I've seen it on TikTok and not so, um, be like too youthy here, but like, people who make tiktoks to like trends or whatever that are like Yeah. Going around with like, like a message that they want to get like sticks in your brain. 

Yeah. Yeah. So 

Kaitlyn Wendland: I know for kids like that, or not kids, but like teenagers kids, yeah.

Like that might work. Something like that. Something 

Host Maggie Joyce: that's their peer doing it. Maybe like a message from peers and not us adults. Do you think that would beneficial too? 

Host Jenn Cobb: Youthy youth voice is important. 

Audrey Bull: Um, yeah. I do think that voices from youth are, would kind of be more relatable [00:24:00] for speaking to a room full of kids, and then like visual aids, like Kaitlyn said.

Mm-hmm. Like if a presenter comes in with all these things and things we can look at and see and feel, I think those make a much bigger difference. Instead of just watching a presentation and hearing somebody rattle on about. Statistic A and statistic B. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I think the, the things you can see and feel and actually see the, the visual effects of something that would have on your lungs mm-hmm.

It makes a huge difference instead of, you know, kind of posters and just a, a, a really bland presentation. Yeah. Um, but yeah, I definitely think those types of things make a huge, huge impact. 

Host Jenn Cobb: No more posters. 

Host Maggie Joyce: That's it. That whole run of posters, we just did cancel it. 

Host Jenn Cobb: And then how can adults, like Maggie or I, or just adults in your life, how can we better support youth prevention efforts and kind of instead of, I don't know, 

Host Maggie Joyce: I feel like, um, sometimes as an adult we talk a lot about [00:25:00] what is best for youth, but we don't necessarily always include the youth in that conversation. And so, and we just kind of touched on it with like peer led things, but like, what can adults do because we, well, I don't, I vaping wasn't around when I was a youth. I mean, people smoked cigarettes, which is its own epidemic, but, um, I think vaping just gets under the radar.

I mean, the kids can do it in the library or in class, like they don't really even have to go to the bathroom to do it. Mm-hmm. So. What are some things that youth, that adults should consider when thinking about how we change the direction we're heading mm-hmm. With what vaping the hold that vaping has on our kids that currently use.

And then the, um, it's, it feels to me like it's such an easy choice for kids to say yes to vape. Mm-hmm. It's almost harder to say no. Mm-hmm. Um, and so what would you guys say, what advice would you have for us as we're thinking about our programs and how we can go in and support youth, [00:26:00] how can we do that best?

Audrey Bull: I think acknowledging how strong the peer pressure is to, to vape. 'cause like you said, it's almost harder to say no than to join in and vape and do the fun, cool things. So I think acknowledging how difficult that is is an important thing for kids to know. Instead of just, you know, the health risks.

'cause those are known, they just don't care, like what we were talking about earlier. Um, but I, I just think that the, coming from an education standpoint instead of, you know, scare tactics and punishment or, you know, this is what's gonna happen to you if you vape, you know, you're gonna look like these people.

I think just the education about, you know, caring about your body and health and how much of a healthier lifestyle you could lead. Um, could go a long way. And just acknowledging the, the social element of, of it. Mm-hmm. Because, you know, like anything else, it's hard to navigate around peer pressure and make those decisions for [00:27:00] yourself and for your friends.

So I think, I think those could go a long way for sure. 

Yeah. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: I think like, kind of adding onto what Audrey said, just lack of judgment because I know some kids that, like, if they say anything like, oh, like if they say like, oh, well I vape, or like, I smoke weed. And if they're one of, I won't say like the closet people that do it, but if they're like not super out and about it, um, and if they come to you and be like, Hey, well, like I do this, and like they trust you enough to tell you like just lack of judgment. Mm-hmm. Because I know I've had friends that I didn't know that they did it. Like it's, I found out like two weeks ago that one of my best friends vapes and I was like. Oh, like I was was like, okay, don't be judgy. Don't be judgy. Like, like just in my head. And I was like, well, thank you for trusting me with it.

And I was like, do you wanna quit? And she's like, well, I don't know how. And I handed her a flyer that Julie gave me. Yeah. That was an rrc. She's like, well, 

Host Maggie Joyce: guess what I have? 

Kaitlyn Wendland: Yeah. 

Host Maggie Joyce: That poster. Yeah. I was like, 

Kaitlyn Wendland: here you go. Here's a [00:28:00] hotline. Like, yeah, yeah. Like, here's like some resources like you can go to.

And then like my other friends were like, well, like if a, if friend a trusted you enough to tell you, then we're gonna tell you too. And I was like, okay. Like, so just I guess lack of judgment like they thought like I was trustworthy enough to tell me. Yeah, yeah. And that they knew that I wouldn't judge him for it.

And I just, I guess it threw me off guard when I first heard, because I was like, okay, that, like, that's, I wouldn't expect that, but I mean, you know. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Well, yeah. And you mentioned earlier like, um, all different types of students vape, right? Mm-hmm. It's not one group of students, it's across the board. Mm-hmm.

Um, and some might be much more open about it, and they're doing it in the parking lot next to their car, and some might hide it because they feel like if people knew that they would be embarrassed because of maybe what they are at the school. Maybe they're an athlete, maybe they're an AP and student government.

And so I [00:29:00] think that's something that even just until right now as adults, we forget because I think you kind of have an idea of the students that use certain substances and, and so I think it's important, like your friend probably felt shame. Yeah. That she vapes, but felt safe enough to tell you. Mm-hmm.

And so that non non-judgment is key. I love that you pointed that out. Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: I had kind of a, a rude awakening when I first came to college. Um, just as an athlete, meeting all my teammates for the first time, I just kind of naively assumed that they, we all kind of were the same. I was so excited to be around my peers who wanted to, you know, live healthy lifestyles.

We're all athletes. We you share a sport. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And so I remember like getting in the car with one of my, uh, teammates, you were above me and I'd meet, met her for the first time. And there's a few freshmen like driving to go get some food after practice or whatever the situation was.

And just like the most nonchalant thing in the [00:30:00] world she's driving, she just pulls out her vape and just starts going crazy. Wow. And I just remember being so caught off guard like, is this the norm? And nobody batted an eye. And I just thought it really surprised me and like, you know, I tried to play it cool like, oh, okay, this is the normal thing now, but truly, it really surprised me. Like how, how not big of a deal it was at all for her to just start doing that and just in the car, like, you know, it was such an everyday thing and nobody cared. Yeah. That really was kind of a, like a eye-opening thing. Yeah. Like, oh boy, okay. This is how it's gonna be. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Yeah.

Especially for athletes in like a mm-hmm swimming sport, you know? Yeah. Where you need your lungs as much lung capacity. You, you think, you would think, but yeah. That's nice. 

Host Maggie Joyce: And so I think that's a good, I think, I think, I think in college people don't have to hide it. Right. Like maybe that apparent not, yeah.

Like especially around their peers maybe. Mm-hmm. They felt safe around their peers, but also like, um, remembering. To not judge a student if they share that they're struggling with [00:31:00] vape, or even when a student gets in trouble with vaping. I think it really, that trajectory of what happens if they choose to stop or if they continue, um, could be right on the cusp right there of if the administrator or the parent, depending on how they handle that situation, right?

Because when the judgment comes in, then you're just gonna keep hiding it and you're gonna feel probably, maybe even more shame using. Mm-hmm. Um, and so I, I think my biggest takeaway from what you guys have shared is really for the adults to not be judgmental and then. For us to try to involve more and more and more youth voice and youth education.

Yeah. Like you talked about having that, um, personal growth class. Like are there youth leaders in a school that could come in and teach that and maybe even some youth that have, that have actually vaped themselves and, and quit successfully. Mm-hmm. And how they can acknowledge how hard that is and how hard the peer pressure is and when you see other youths.

I think that impact, especially in those formative years, just. [00:32:00] It's way more than the impact that we have as adults. Right. So yeah, get ready for us to ask you guys more questions as we build more programs. Live your cell 

Host Jenn Cobb: phone number on the way out. But I think your 

Host Maggie Joyce: voice is just so key. So we really appreciate you guys being here.

Host Jenn Cobb: Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: Oh, thank you. 

Host Jenn Cobb: Thank you. Just to round it out, we have a closing question that we use with everybody that comes on our podcast. And so at SCOE, one of our core values focuses on being hopeful and helpful. And so you can pick either one of these questions, but what is your hope for your generation?

We usually say the next generation, but now we have the next generation sitting across from us. So what is your hope for your generation or who has been someone that has been particularly helpful for you in this journey? 

Audrey Bull: I think a main hope for my generation is that I hope that we can find how valuable being healthy is.

Mm. 

Audrey Bull: And how [00:33:00] important it is to have longevity in your life and how big of a difference it can make. And um, like before I lose my train of thought, I'm just gonna kind of add onto the second question. I think my, my very first swim coach just kind of pops into my head when I think about leading healthy lifestyles.

'cause she is, I don't know, probably nearing. 70 or maybe Yeah. But she, she's older, but she does not look like it. She doesn't act like it because, and you know, she was kind of one of the first people figures in my life to show me that, you know, making good choices and living healthy lifestyles pays off.

Yeah. And you can live a really fulfilling life Yeah. By that. And so I really hope that my generation, you know, can, can find the value in healthy choices. 

Yeah. 

Audrey Bull: I, 

Kaitlyn Wendland: I totally agree with that too. Um, I know like a lot of people who start like vaping and who start doing that say, well, will I do it 'cause of my mental health.

Well, it's supposed to help with like anxiety or with depression, when actually in the, like long term it like [00:34:00] exasperates that. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Probably in the short term. Yeah. Probably immediately. Yeah. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: And. Like, I would really like want people to know, like there's other like ways that you can deal with stuff besides turning to substances.

Mm-hmm. Like journal or like, there's resources out there. There's like an app, Soluna, for youth, like specifically Yeah. To like talk about mental health with people. Mm-hmm. Um, like there's a lot of different ways that you can cope with stuff. Mm-hmm. Besides turning to substances. And I just like. I would hope that like my generation knows like, hey, like you don't have to do this.

Like, it's not like no one's pressuring you to like, there's other avenues, there's other factors that you can choose. Other options, I guess. 

Yeah. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: And for someone that's been particularly helpful, my parents obviously, um, they've drove me for 

Host Maggie Joyce: shout out mom and dad. 

Kaitlyn Wendland: Yeah. They drove me for three years to all my extracurriculars and I was in a [00:35:00] lot. So, and I don't know if they'll listening to this, but yeah, they've been, they've been great. They've supported me when I'm like, well, mom, like what about this idea? And my dad will talk me through it. 

Yeah. Or 

Kaitlyn Wendland: my mom will talk me through it, whatever. Just like, Hey, well, like what about like if we do this, like with this program, like trying to tie everything in.

Yeah. And they'll talk with me about it, so. Mm. I love them. They're, they're my peeps. They're like my best friends. Yeah. As cringey as that is to say. But I love it. It's not cringey at all 

Host Maggie Joyce: when they listen to this. I'm sure that they will be smiling from ear to ear. Yeah. And it does take a positive role model, right.

Whether that's your parents or a coach or even a peer, to show you that there's more than maybe what your little environment shows you. 'cause we all only know our own experiences. And so I, I think, having mentors out there and having people that help you along the way is really important. Mm-hmm.

So I love that you guys shared, uh, two different [00:36:00] perspectives and how adults can really have such an impact on, on youth. 

Yeah. 

Host Maggie Joyce: Well, thank you guys so much for being here today. Yeah. Thank you for having us. Thank you for having us. Yes. Thank you for giving us some time during summer. Um, it is a hot one today, so I'm sure you're thankful to be indoors with AC, but we also know how.

How, uh, I would probably be sleeping right now if I were your guys' age in the summer. So, so thank you so much for coming and we look forward to seeing all of the progress you guys make in prevention efforts, not only in Shasta County, but within your own peer groups because it sounds like you both have a really big impact on those around you.

Thank you. Thank you.