This year, the Southern Nevada Health District celebrated the successful completion of its first-ever Youth Advisory Council (YAC), a new initiative designed to empower local high school students to explore public health, develop leadership skills and create meaningful change in our community.

During the 2025–2026 school year, 10 students from across Southern Nevada came together to learn about public health through workshops, group discussions and hands-on community outreach. Early in the program, the students chose the name SPARK—Students Promoting Awareness, Responsibility and Knowledge—reflecting their shared commitment to leadership, education and advocacy.

For many students, the experience became something much bigger than they expected.

“If programs like this didn’t exist, there wouldn’t be change in our community,” shared YAC student Jeana.

The program was led by Crystal Montgomery and Grissel Olivers from the Health Equity team, whose mentorship helped students build confidence, ask questions and discover how they could make an impact.

“It’s been great watching the students gain confidence throughout the year and realize the impact they can make in their community.” – Crystal

A key focus of the program was ensuring youth voices were not only included, but also valued.

“Youth are the subject matter experts in their own experiences. Having their voice in the planning process is really key for us.” – Grissel

After exploring programs across the Health District, students chose to partner with the Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion on a tobacco prevention initiative. Working alongside Cassandra Meraz and Malcolm Ahlo from the Tobacco Control Program, students launched the CSN: The Time Is Now campaign, conducting peer outreach and engaging more than 2,000 students in conversations about tobacco-free learning environments.

“Youth-led advocacy is important because they are the future—and their voices help uplift other youth in ways that truly resonate.” – Cassandra Meraz

A big thank you to our Health Equity Team, Tobacco Control Program and all the staff who helped make this first year of YAC a success. The inaugural year demonstrated the power of youth leadership, cross-program collaboration, and mentorship—laying the foundation for the next generation of public health leaders in Southern Nevada.