Educating the Youth on the Facts and Effects of Vaping

• Darrianna Hovington, Athletic Training, University of Delaware

• Kim Silva, Cooperative Extension, University of Delaware
• Karen Johnston, Cooperative Extension, University of Delaware

Youth vaping remains a significant public health concern, emphasizing the importance of providing engaging and age-appropriate prevention education. Healthy Heist is a portable, interactive mini escape room designed to educate youth about the facts, health effects, and risks associated with vaping through game-based learning. Students worked collaboratively to solve a series of puzzles, word searches, ISPY, and a collaborative jenga puzzle. This reinforced evidence-based information about nicotine addiction, the harmful chemicals found in e-cigarettes, and the short- and long-term health consequences of vaping. By requiring participants to apply what they learned to complete each challenge, the activity promoted active participation, teamwork, and critical thinking. During the summer of 2026, Healthy Heist was implemented at multiple summer camps/areas where youth gather throughout the state of Delaware as part of the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program. Traveling to camps across the state allowed the program to reach youth from a variety of communities and provide an accessible, hands-on educational experience outside of the traditional classroom. The escape room format created an engaging environment that encouraged discussion, corrected common misconceptions about vaping, and increased participants’ confidence in making informed health decisions. The success of Healthy Heist demonstrates how interactive, portable educational programming can effectively engage youth in health promotion. This project highlights the value of experiential learning as an innovative strategy for increasing vaping awareness and supporting tobacco prevention efforts in community-based settings.