From Its Community to the national stage: The LakeSafe Initiative and the power of youth-led prevention. By Mudra Machewad, TECH Youth Coalition Member & Founder, LakeSafe Initiative Last week, something remarkable happened, and it started right here in its community. On June 30, 2026, Mudra Machewad, founder of the LakeSafe Initiative and TECH Youth Coalition member, had the honor of presenting as a panelist at a national webinar hosted by CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America), The Premier Prevention Association. The webinar, Competencies in Focus: Implementation, brought together over 123 coalition leaders, public health professionals, and prevention advocates from across the United States. And the LakeSafe Initiative, a youth-led drowning prevention effort born right here in its community, was selected as a featured real-world example of what effective coalition implementation looks like. "Effective prevention is a shared responsibility, and youth voices belong at the table." Where It All Began In August 2025, two members of its community, both fathers, tragically drowned at Lake Sammamish. Their deaths were devastating. And for Mudra, they were deeply personal. Just weeks earlier, a similar incident had unfolded close to home, and watching neighbors in danger made one thing undeniably clear: accidents like these are preventable. Grief can paralyze. But it can also activate. In September 2025, Mudra began reaching out to city councils, state representatives, WA State Parks, public health agencies, and community organizations with one simple question: What can Influence the Choice do together? That question became the LakeSafe Initiative, founded by Mudra Machewad. Building a Coalition, One Partner at a Time What followed was nine months of coalition building that Mudra could not have done alone. Today, LakeSafe has grown to include 19+ partner organizations, including Washington State Parks, King County Public Health, Eastside Fire & Rescue, YMCA of Greater Seattle, Seattle Children's, Issaquah School District, Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park, and many more. Together, the coalition has: * Engaged more than 5,000 community members in open-water safety education * Facilitated over 2,000 one-on-one prevention conversations * Hosted LakeSafe Confluence 2026 at Lake Sammamish State Park on May 15, 2026, bringing together 500-800 attendees and 13+ speakers * Launched multilingual signage and life jacket loaner station planning in partnership with WA State Parks * Built a multi-agency steering team coordinating quarterly across government, health, and education sectors The CADCA Connection: Implementation as a Prevention Competency CADCA's Coalition Competencies framework identifies implementation as one of the core skills coalitions need to create lasting community change. Implementation is not just about launching a program. It is about piloting, adapting, coordinating resources, and scaling in ways that are responsive to local needs and sustained over time. At the June 30 webinar, the 13th in CADCA's 18-part series, Mudra presented the LakeSafe story alongside implementation science experts from Washington University in St. Louis and nationally recognized coalition trainers. Together, presenters explored how implementation science principles play out in real communities, and what it takes to move from a good idea to real-world impact. The LakeSafe story illustrated each of these principles in action: starting small (one park, one summer), testing what worked, adapting messaging to be multilingual and culturally accessible, and expanding reach through partnership rather than by going it alone. The ITC and TECH Connection At the heart of this national recognition is a foundation built right here through Influence the Choice and the TECH Youth Coalition. Marnie Maraldo, Former Executive Director, and Erica Vogt, Executive Director, have championed youth prevention leadership in this community for years. ITC teaches youth that prevention work is not just about saying no to something. It is about saying yes to community, yes to collaboration, and yes to the belief that young people can lead meaningful change. The skills Mudra developed through TECH, including understanding public health data, building coalition relationships, advocating for policy, and communicating with community stakeholders, are exactly the skills she brought to LakeSafe and ultimately to the CADCA national stage. "This is what ITC youth leadership looks like in action. We are so proud." A Note to Its Community Drowning is preventable. Substance use is a documented contributing factor in open-water fatalities, which means that drowning prevention and substance use prevention are not separate issues. They are the same work, viewed from different angles. If you live near a lake, a river, or open water, please talk to your family about water safety. Wear a life jacket. Know your limits. And if you see unsafe conditions, speak up. If you are a young person who wants to get involved in prevention work in its community, Influence the Choice encourage you to connect with Influence the Choice and the TECH Youth Coalition. This is where it starts. About LakeSafe Initiative: The LakeSafe Initiative is a youth-led coalition focused on open-water drowning prevention, water safety education, and community engagement in Washington State. Learn more at lakesafeinitiative.org About Influence the Choice: Influence the Choice is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to reducing youth substance use and promoting overall well-being by addressing root causes, fostering resilience, and providing education and prevention services to youth, families, and communities.

New self-check blood pressure stations support community health at three YMCA locations. Last updated: July 7, 2026, at 3:03 p.m. PT Originally published: July 7, 2026, at 3:03 p.m. PT The YMCA of Greater Seattle is proud to partner with the American Heart Association to make it easier for its community to take an important step toward better health. New self-check blood pressure stations are now available at the Bellevue Family YMCA, Northshore YMCA in Bothell, and Matt Griffin YMCA in SeaTac, helping members monitor their blood pressure, learn more about heart health, and connect with medical care if needed. The stations are free for anyone 18 years and older to use during regular operating hours. High blood pressure is one of the leading risk factors for heart disease and stroke, yet many people don't know they have it. In Washington, nearly half of adults are living with high blood pressure, making regular monitoring an important part of maintaining overall health. Each self-check station provides a validated blood pressure monitor that members can use on their own in a designated space within the branch. Educational materials and visual guides are available to help members take accurate readings and better understand what their results mean. Free printed resources on high blood pressure and ways to lower it are also available in multiple languages. For members who do not currently have a healthcare provider, each station includes information about nearby community health clinics that offer low-barrier, low-cost medical care. These referral resources are designed to make it easier to connect with clinical care when follow-up is needed. By bringing blood pressure monitoring into trusted community spaces, the YMCA and the American Heart Association are helping remove barriers to preventive care and empowering people to take an active role in their health. Whether you're checking your blood pressure for the first time or monitoring it regularly, Seattle YMCA encourage members to stop by one of its self-check stations at Bellevue Family YMCA, Northshore YMCA, or Matt Griffin YMCA and take advantage of this free community resource.

YMCA of Greater Seattle and City University of Seattle announce strategic partnership to advance student success, workforce opportunity, and community well-being. Last updated: June 11, 2026, at 9:53 a.m. PT Originally published: June 11, 2026, at 9:53 a.m. PT Seattle, WA - June 11, 2026 - The YMCA of Greater Seattle and City University of Seattle announced that they have signed a Letter of Intent establishing a strategic partnership to expand equitable access to education, whole-person health, and career pathways for students, staff, and the broader community. The Letter of Intent was signed on June 10, 2026. Through this collaboration, City University of Seattle aspires to serve as a preferred education provider for YMCA staff, while the YMCA of Greater Seattle aspires to be a preferred health and wellness provider for City University students, faculty, and staff. Key elements of the partnership. * Scholarships for one YMCA staff member and one Y Scholar * Career and academic pathways supporting YMCA staff advancement * Work-study, job, internship, and practicum opportunities for City University students at the YMCA * Complimentary 'Try the Y' memberships for City University students, faculty, and staff, with need-based financial assistance for continued access. * Expanded YMCA membership access for eligible military-affiliated students, faculty, and staff "This partnership reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to education and supporting the evolving needs of students and working adults," said Suzanne Elise Walsh, President of City University of Seattle. "As we mark 150 years of service, we are building partnerships that expand access, remove barriers, and strengthen communities," said Loria Yeadon, President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater Seattle. "This collaboration represents an important step and a model for how we can partner with educational institutions to advance whole-person health, community wellbeing, and opportunity." Media contacts. YMCA of Greater Seattle: Ayn Dietrich-Williams, Assistant Vice President, Marketing & Communication [email protected] [email protected] (206) 382-5085 City University of Seattle: Alicia Nakamoto, Media & Communications CityU Seattle [email protected] (206) 683-7851 About City University of Seattle. City University of Seattle is an accredited, nonprofit university dedicated to providing career-relevant education for busy professionals, adult learners, and those connected to military service. Since 1973, CityU has reimagined higher education in the Pacific Northwest and around the world, with more than 20 years of leadership in online learning. Recognized as a Top 10 educator of adults nationwide, CityU offers over 65 degree and certificate programs in business, education, health and social sciences, and technology. Students benefit from flexible online and on-site options, practitioner faculty, and a strong professional network that includes employers such as Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Google.