Our Impact
Our Community Partners
TFA collaborates with existing youth groups and establishes new ones across the Twin Cities, uniting diverse youth advocates to address the harms of commercial tobacco in their communities. Through education, advocacy, and leadership development, these young leaders engage their peers, community members, and decision-makers to raise awareness and drive change. TFA is committed to amplifying youth voices and empowering the next generation to build healthier, commercial tobacco-free communities.
Current Partners
Anglo Latinos Motivated to Succeed (ALMAS)
TFA is proud to partner with ALMAS (Anglos Latinos Motivados A Superarse – Anglos Latinos Motivated to Succeed). Led by superstar teacher, Robert Hanson, this dedicated student service group at Two Rivers High School in Mendota Heights has been an integral partner of TFA since our organization was founded, exemplifying shared commitment and collaboration.
Tobacco-Free Society
Tobacco-Free Society (TFS) is a student group at Eagan High School. TFS is passionate about preventing another generation from becoming lifelong smokers. TFS has led vaping prevention workshops for students at multiple middle schools across Dakota County and engages in local and state-level tobacco prevention policy efforts to improve health outcomes and disparities.
Instagram: @eagantfs
SAVE (Simley Anti-Vaping Effort)
Meet SAVE (Simley Anti-Vaping Effort), a dynamic group of student leaders dedicated to vaping prevention and policy advocacy in partnership with TFA. This passionate team is making a difference in their school and community by raising awareness and driving change. Click here to watch the powerful video they created and presented to their city council!
Vape Waste Team
The Vape Waste Team addresses the public health problems caused by e-cigarette product waste. Dakota County residents will benefit from the proposed work because youth-informed messaging about the environmental impacts of e-cigarettes has the potential to both improve the environment by reducing the overall plastic, tech waste, and toxic waste caused by e-cigarettes and improve public health by reducing youth vaping initiation with youth-informed innovative messaging about the negative impact of vaping on the environment.​
Click here to view the Dakota County Vape Waste Team Survey.
Instagram: @vapewaste_in_dakotacounty
ISD 196
TFA partners with the ISD 196 Developmental Psychology (DP) program to address the growing concerns around youth vaping. DP, a senior-level Social Studies class, emphasizes personal development and teaching skills, with a core component focused on teaching the district’s chemical prevention curriculum to sixth graders.
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As part of this groundbreaking partnership, TFA provides specialized training each school year—starting in winter 2023—to all seven DP classes across ISD 196's four high schools. Students participate in TFA’s teen vaping prevention workshop, "Unpacking Myths and Facts About Vaping," gaining the knowledge and tools to create meaningful impact.
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Using TFA’s training as a guide, DP students design and deliver engaging lessons to educate every ISD 196 sixth grader about the risks of vaping. These peer-led sessions not only highlight the dangers but also encourage thoughtful conversations that resonate across age groups, fostering a culture of informed decision-making and prevention. The DP project is funded by Dakota County Public Health's SHIP program.
Hastings Middle School
TFA is honored to collaborate with Hastings Middle School and teacher Heather Maier to empower 8th-grade students as leaders in commercial tobacco prevention. In the 2023-24 school year, 12 dedicated 8th graders underwent training to become peer educators and advocates for a tobacco-free future. This year, a new group of 8th graders is stepping up to continue the work, guided and inspired by the mentorship of last year’s trained advocates. Together, these students are making a lasting impact on their peers and community.
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Vape Waste Action Team
Launched in spring 2024 through a collaboration between TFA and NorthPoint Health and Wellness, this youth group is tackling the environmental and health harms caused by flavored tobacco products in their northern Hennepin County communities. Drawing inspiration from the successes of their Dakota County peers, these passionate teens are bringing fresh energy and innovative strategies to combat the impacts of flavored tobacco.
Select Past Partners & Project Highlights
Johnson SADD
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) at Johnson High School is a prevention program aimed at promoting positive youth development and empowering students to be involved in their school and community. SADD’s work is focused on bringing awareness of the harms of tobacco in their community.
Vision in Living Life
Vision in Living Life – Change is Possible (VILL) is a youth leadership program that engages Saint Paul youth in activities that allow them to experience growth from within. V.I.L.L. is led by Damone Presley.
Escape the Vape
TFA directed the statewide Escape the Vape contest its first two years in partnership with MDH and other organizations. Teens created and submitted 30-second Public Service Announcement videos to educate their peers on the dangers of vaping. TFA facilitated youth engagement in all aspects of the contest, including developing and providing feedback on contest website content, promotional materials, and messaging. Youth managed the contest’s social media, promoted the contest at school, and judged submissions. Contest participation increased by 163% from 2021 to 2022.
Tobacco-Free Campus Work
TFA worked with four campus sites: Macalester College, Hamline University, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and Hennepin Healthcare to organize, pass, and implement tobacco-free campus policies.