Tuolumne County’s Friday Night Live Expands And Gains Statewide Recognition

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Sonora, CA– The Tuolumne County Friday Night Live (FNL) has expanded its reach in schools, earning statewide recognition for its efforts to prevent youth substance use. After receiving a social-emotional learning grant in 2023, FNL doubled its presence across the county, now running 11 groups. These include programs for students in grades 5-12, in partnership with Tuolumne County Parks and Recreation and the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians Tribal Education Department.

The program empowers students to become community leaders while educating them on the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and substance use. This year, a team from Summerville Union High School will represent Tuolumne County at the California FNL Youth Summit, October 18-20 in Anaheim. The team will lead three workshops on their innovative project, Escape Vape, which uses an interactive escape room experience to educate peers on tobacco, vaping, and cannabis use.

“Escape Vape” incorporates pop culture and puzzles to engage participants and highlights data from the 2021-2022 California Kids Survey on local youth substance use trends. The project will be brought to Tuolumne County later this year in collaboration with local organizations like Tuolumne County Public Health to continue prevention efforts.