Isaac Mueller was a freshman at Preston High when he entered a statewide public service announcement video contest through his school.

He won $2,000 promoting a good cause — and learned he has more potential than he thought.

This October marks the fifth year of Idaho Public Television’s Unaltered State/Know Vape anti-drug campaign. Through advertising, research and a statewide public awareness video contest for students, the campaign teaches Idaho youth and their parents about the consequences of drugs and vaping. 

This year, organizers say they are launching their most ambitious campaign yet.

“The campaign is a little more edgy than what we’ve done in the past, and that’s intentional because we are trying to disrupt,” said Jennie Sue Weltner, executive producer at Idaho Public Television and the campaign’s manager.

Last year, the campaign focused on establishing awareness and collecting data, but this year Weltner said organizers are focused on a “culture shift.” 

Data from last October revealed a disconnect between parents and kids surrounding conversations about drugs. Ninety-five percent of Idaho parents surveyed said they’ve had a conversation with their child about drugs. But one in three kids said the opposite: They’ve never had a meaningful conversation about drugs with a parent.

“Part of the culture shift that we’re trying to change in Idaho is [parents] need to have these conversations frequently,” Weltner said.

Campaign organizers also found that one in three Idaho parents still think trying substances as a teenager is a rite of passage. 

“The drug landscape in Idaho is just so much different than it was for parents who maybe grew up in the mid-1990s,” Weltner said. 

This month, campaign organizers will collect more data from parents and youth from across the state. Weltner is interested to see how last year’s campaign impacted families. 

“I’m hoping we’ll see that more kids report that they’ve had better conversations about this, that fewer parents believe that this is a rite of passage,” Weltner said. “We can make adjustments that really focus in on the culture shifts we’re trying to see.”

Numerous approaches will help get the message out, including billboards, social media marketing and the annual PSA youth video contest. 

The contest is open to Idaho students ages 12-18 and requires the creation of a 30-second public service announcement to educate kids about the drug landscape. Like Mueller, students who create the best videos can win money. Contest organizers have awarded about $40,000 in prizes since 2022.

“We thought it was really important to let kids make sure that they’re guiding this conversation,” Weltner said.

Every year, Idaho students are recognized as first- and second-place finalists. A grand prize winner receives $2,000.

This year, the contest will be structured differently. Unaltered State will offer four grand prizes of $1,500 to winners in four regions of the state. The goal is to encourage more kids to enter the contest. First- and second-place finalists will also be recognized.

This year’s PSA can be 60 seconds. The contest opens in early October and closes April 2.

Boise High School senior Maliah Clawson has placed in the competition for the past two years, winning a combined total of almost $1,000. She was a first-place finalist in 2026. 

“The whole premise of [my] video was looking into a mirror and seeing someone that you could have been if you hadn’t gone down a different path,” Clawson said. “I think it’s really great to spread the message about living your life unaltered, because I think it’s so important.”

Clawson said the experience of making her videos over the past three years has opened her eyes to the dangers of substance use and the importance of being a good influence on her peers.

“I’ve had people in my life who were affected by vaping,” she said. “There’s a lot of harm that can be done and it happens while you’re a teenager, so I thought it was just so cool to be a part of something that’s so personal and close to me.” 

Clawson said it was “surreal” to win the $500 prize this year. She said the recognition encourages her to keep going. She plans to participate again this year. 

“If you can find a personal high, something that makes you feel alive, I feel like that’s so much better than relying on drugs to do that,” Clawson said.

For the 2026 grand prize winner, Isaac Mueller, it was his first time participating in the video contest, and he was just hoping to place.

“I learned that I’m more capable than what I think I am,” Mueller said. 

Mueller said his inspiration for his video came from showing what can happen if you start vaping. Weltner described his video as a more “dramatic approach.”

The $2,000 grand prize opened new opportunities, including buying a plane ticket to Chicago to participate in a summer sales program.

“At the time, I literally had exactly $0 in my bank account,” he said. “It was the biggest blessing of my life, and it just helped me right when I needed it.”

Mueller said he hoped his message set a good example for other teens. 

“All the kids of my age are technically the future of this generation,” he said. “So we want to be able to have a healthy community, and just when people get addicted to that stuff, it just goes nowhere.” 

Mueller looks forward to participating again this year and hopes the public service announcements reach the intended audience. 

“I just hope that there’s a brighter future ahead, and they know it’s just not worth it to vape.”