Quick look: The Orange County Youth Council has launched the second season of “Keep in Mind,” a podcast on substance use trends and prevention efforts featuring guests from OCDE.
For years, adult voices have been the loudest in the room when it comes to substance use prevention efforts. However, that pendulum is beginning to shift with the help of the Orange County Youth Council and its student-hosted “Keep in Mind” podcast.
After a successful first season, Season 2 of “Keep in Mind” launched earlier this week, featuring students from the OCYC discussing substance use prevention and other trends affecting students across Orange County.
Episodes are available on the Orange County Friday Night Live Partnership homepage and in the 2026 Red Ribbon Week Toolkit for student-led clubs and leadership programs focused on substance use prevention.
“The students put a lot of work into the podcast, and we are so impressed with the outcome,” said Elke Petras, OCDE’s coordinator for Youth Development Programs. “We hope this new season of topics is useful and relevant to teens, educators and families.”
OCYC students met with OCDE staff to learn more about current substances such as Zyn nicotine pouches, fentanyl and kratom, along with their effects on the brain and body — particularly on developing minds. Additional topics this season include peer pressure, artificial intelligence and maintaining balance between school and personal life.
Although the podcast tackles more mature subject matter, the students behind its production simply hope listeners come away with a greater understanding of the harms of substance use.
“I wanted to participate in the podcast so I could help people in my community become more aware of the dangers of opioids,” said Nathan Weddle, a student at Cypress High School. “I hope teens understand how dangerous these substances can be and help spread the word to their peers as well.”
The OCYC is a student-led advisory group under Friday Night Live, which focuses on engaging students in prevention activities and service projects. The council is made up of high school students involved in their schools’ FNL chapters who want to expand their involvement.
This year, 21 students representing 12 Orange County schools were selected to join the OCYC, bringing a wide range of student perspectives on how to best connect with their peers.
The first episode is available now, with new episodes scheduled to be released every Monday. For more information, contact Elke Petras at epetras@ocde.us or 714-966-4458.