East Hawai‘i Drug-Free Coalition Partners with Student Leader on Alcohol Prevention

A senior at Waiākea High School, Kade Economy, is supporting healthier families and safer communities through his senior project internship with the East Hawai‘i Drug-Free Coalition (EHDFC). With a strong commitment to service and concern for his peers, Kade is focusing on underage drinking, an issue that impacts many families across East Hawaiʻi. His goal is to help parents and caregivers better understand today’s alcohol products and take practical steps to protect youth.

Many newer alcoholic beverages are packaged in bright, colorful cans and bottles that closely resemble drinks popular with children. Some look similar to beverages such as Sunny D or Arizona Iced Tea, but contain alcohol. Because these products can appear nearly identical to non-alcoholic drinks at first glance, they can easily be mixed into coolers at birthday parties, graduations, and family gatherings. This resemblance may also blur perceptions about alcohol among youth. 

By raising awareness about these look-alike beverages, Kade hopes families will take a closer look when shopping, stocking coolers, and hosting events.

Creating Awareness for Safer Celebrations

As part of his project, Kade developed an educational display in partnership with EHDFC featuring practical, family-centered prevention strategies that are easy to implement:

• Keep alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in separate and clearly labeled coolers
• Avoid self-serve alcohol stations when youth are present
• Assign a responsible adult to monitor alcohol service
• Stop serving alcohol at least one hour before the event ends
• Store leftover alcohol securely and out of common youth areas

These environmental prevention strategies reduce youth access to alcohol while allowing families to celebrate safely.

Youth Leading by Example

Kade shared why he chose to intern with EHDFC, “I chose to do my senior project internship with the EHDFC because I felt I strongly resonated with the values and causes that the coalition is built upon. I believe this will be a great use of my time as I get to help others, meet new people, and spread awareness to help the community.” 

He added, “I hope that we can spread awareness about drug and alcohol abuse within the community, while also gathering information on how we can better prevent future substance abuse in Hawai‘i Island. I hope my project will help inform parents, keiki, and anyone who views the informational board. It is important to prevent underage drinking and substance misuse.”

Recently, Kade joined EHDFC at Keonepoko Elementary School’s Family Wellness Night, where he engaged with over 25 parents and their keiki. Families responded positively to the information and appreciated the practical guidance. 

Kade’s leadership reflects the strength of East Hawaiʻi–young people stepping forward, families looking out for one another, and communities working together to protect keiki.

To connect with the East Hawaiʻi Drug-Free Coalition, email Sally Ancheta, Coordinator, at sally@hiphi.org. Learn more at ehdfc.org.