EPIC stands for Encouraging Positive Influences and Choices.  It’s a group of students at Big Lake High School and Middle School that have a common goal of making the community positive and substance free.  

They encourage their peers to make positive, healthy choices such as reducing alcohol and other drug use. They also want to lessen tobacco use and exposure to children in Big Lake City Parks by placing signs where kids congregate requesting people to “Please consider not smoking.”   

BL City Council

EPIC first presented their idea of placing signs in city parks to the Big Lake City Council on June 25, 2024. The group shared a presentation that demonstrated their concern that children in Big Lake parks were being exposed to harmful tobacco smoke and showed their hope to prohibit smoking in city parks where children play.  

The group requested the approval of the council to place signs that originally read, “Please refrain from using tobacco products when children are present” in Big Lake City parks.  That approval was not given because of Mayor Paul Knier’s concerns over the language on the signs that made it look like smoking was prohibited.   However, the council directed city staff to continue to work with EPIC to come up with language that the council would be comfortable with.  New language was brought back to the council on August 28, 2024.   

A Second Chance

In a contentious meeting, the language “Please consider not smoking” was agreed upon.  For members of EPIC, the controversy was surprising, disheartening and shocking. 

The August workshop was Makeeba Akedi’s (17) first interaction with city government.  She expressed her disappointment by saying, “We were trying to do good and to get a bit of pushback was a little bit weird.”

Alayna Boe (17) has been to City Council meetings before.  Her reaction was similar, “When you’re watching you’re like, oh yeah, controversy, that’s cool.  When it’s your issue, I didn’t want that.  I just wanted it to be received well.”

Alexis Gosewinsch (17) felt like they were powerless after giving their presentation. 

“It was almost like they had a conversation behind a wall,” she said. “Like they left the room, had an argument and came back, but we were there the entire time.”

Still Hopeful

Despite that experience, the EPIC students are determined to make a difference in the communities in which they currently live and will live in.  They are still hopeful that their efforts will make a difference.  

Despite some disagreement, the council did give their approval for tobacco signs to go up.  According to Hanna Klimmek, City Administrator, EPIC students are currently working with Street/Parks/Fleet Superintendent Norm Michels on the placement of signs within Big Lake’s Park system.  They are also working with neighboring communities on similar projects that educate communities of the harms of tobacco use.  The group will be presenting before the Zimmerman City Council on October 14, 2024.