FNL club leaders share their mission to prevent risky behaviors, support students, and stay involved through school and local events.
By: Jordyn Fierro
On Wednesday September 3rd 2025, at Redwood High school in the quad was club day, many different clubs participated so they can encourage students to join their clubs.
Friday Night Live is also known as FNL which is a club that spreads awareness from bad habits.
The California Friday Night Live Partnership collaborates with the TUPE (Tobacco Use Prevention Education) program to provide training and resources to local FNL chapters, helping them organize youth‑led projects about tobacco, vaping, and substance use.
According to the Mendocino County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services, Friday Night Live was developed in 1984 by the State Office of Traffic Safety and the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, with pilot chapters in Sacramento, Contra Costa, and Riverside counties.
The president of FNL Maddison Aldaco ’28, says “FNL is basically a club where we focus on the prevention of smoking and vaping and underage drinking. And its basically just a really safe space where we can just try to better our community an our school.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 10.0% of U.S. middle and high school students reported current use of a tobacco product in 2023, with e-cigarettes remaining the most commonly used. While the numbers are still concerning, usage is trending downward — in 2022, 14.1% of high school students reported using e-cigarettes, compared to 10.0% in 2023.
The club’s secretary Sofia Mesa, ’28, says that the members are “Just a lot of long time friends and also [are interested in] a way of helping our community and being recognized in the work that we do.”
In California, many Friday Night Live chapters work alongside state-supported tobacco prevention programs aimed at reducing youth use of nicotine and preventing underage drinking. These programs provide leadership opportunities, training, and peer-to-peer outreach designed to promote healthier decision-making among teens.
Then the club’s treasurer Kayce Borden, ’28, syas “I hope we become more popular and we can expand our club and like with more members, we can help the community more and help our school more.”
Borden wants more students to be involved and familiar with FNL because of the inspiring activities they do.
Lastly the Vice President of FNL Ava Dodson, ’28, says “FNL was fist created around August 2024 and we make flyers, go to different events, go to places like the car show and other local activities.”
Overall this club has many fun and exciting things ahead of them and was honored to share their words and what they do around the school and for the Visalia community.
Jordyn Fierro
Tags: #clubsandlifestyles, #FNL, campus life, club day, Club Day 2025, Community Involvement, fnl, Friday Night Live, Healthy Choices, redwood clubs, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, Student Leadership
