Big Island Students Named to Meth Project’s Advisory Council

Four students from Big Island high schools are among the newly appointed members of the Hawaii Meth Project’s Teen Advisory Council for the upcoming school year.

The council assists in the project’s community outreach program by raising awareness about the risks of methamphetamine use and providing a teen perspective on the prevention campaign’s strategies and messages.

The four are Kayla Yamada, a 12th grader at Waiakea High School; Jasey Frasco, a 12th grader at Kamehameha Schools – Hawaii; Ian Sanborn, a 10th grader at Kamehameha Schools – Hawaii;  and Makoa Yoshida, a 9th grader at Konawaena High School.

Kayla Yamada. Courtesy photo.

The advisory council has 19 members from across the state selected through an application and interview process.

During their term, council members will be involved in a number of outreach and service projects including representing the Hawaii Meth Project at community events, initiating activities and projects at their schools and engaging peers online via social media.

Yamada, from Waiakea, is serving a second term on the council.

“I’m excited to continue working with the Hawaii Meth Project this year initiating peer-to-peer outreach in the Big Island community,” Yamada said in a statement issued today. “Our goal is to educate our peers about the risks associated with crystal meth and encourage positive, healthy choices.”

Jasey Frasco. Courtesy photo.

David Earles, executive director of the Hawaii Meth Project, said the council has been providing valuable assistance since 2010.

“Peer-to-peer interaction is critical to sharing our message with Hawaii’s youth. Our goal is to enable the members of this Teen Advisory Council to be strong voices in their communities far beyond the time they spend working directly with us here at the Hawaii Meth Project.”

The Hawaii Meth Project is a nonprofit organization that implements large-scale, research-based campaigns and community action programs to reduce methamphetamine use in the state.

Ian Sanborn. Courtesy photo.

Central to its integrated campaigns is MethProject.org — a definitive source for information about meth for teens, the statement said.

The Hawaii Meth Project is affiliated with The Partnership at Drugfree.org, a national nonprofit organization working to help families solve the problem of teen substance abuse.