Recap: Youth Leadership Summit

When youth take the lead, something powerful unfolds. Conversations grow deeper, ideas get bolder, and the room fills with a kind of energy that only comes from those discovering their voice—and how to use it with courage. They ask the questions adults often forget, bring humor into heavy moments, and remind us that change doesn’t begin with a roadmap—it begins with someone willing to raise their hand.

Recently, over 75 teens from five different schools gathered on Lopez Island for the Moment of Youth Prevention Summit—a vibrant, youth-led day focused on wellness, leadership, and connection.

This summit was co-designed and co-facilitated by teens for teens, ensuring that every session was honest, relevant, and engaging. Two bilingual youth leaders from Lopez worked alongside Lopez alum Xander Cook, created a powerful curriculum centered on the topics that matter most to young people.

Those topics included:

  • Navigating Relationships: How to meet new people and communicate with confidence
  • Positive Coping & Lifestyle Habits: Building healthier daily routines
  • Media Consumption: Developing mindful habits in a digital world
  • Intro to Prevention: Looking beyond risk and toward resilience

Youth from Washougal traveled in to share their own prevention journey, and keynote speaker Clara Hill, a WSU researcher, introduced the First Year Away From Home guide—a valuable tool for both students and parents preparing for life after high school.

The day wrapped up with a Western-themed dance party hosted by Lopez’s own Orgullo Latino, complete with homemade pizza and a whole lot of joy.

This summit reminded us that when youth lead the way, real change happens. Thank you to the many hands and hearts who made this summit possible, and to the young people who continue to show up and show us what’s possible.

Very special thanks to our awesome funders and collaborators who made this weekend possible: WA State Department of Health, Youth Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco Prevention Programs (YCCTPP), San Juan County Health & Community Services, Lopez Island School District, Coalition for Orcas Youth, Orcas Island School District, Orgullo Latino, Triumph Teen Center, and Unite! Washugal.

Want to support youth leadership on Lopez? Visit https://lifrc.org/make-an-impact/ to invest in programs that empower the next generation.

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