Anthony ISD earns national recognition for curbing student vaping with new tech

ANTHONY, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Any attempts by Anthony Independent School District students to vape on campus have largely gone up in smoke as the district earned national recognition Thursday for its anti-vaping efforts.

On Thursday, AISD earned the Soteria National Leadership Award for its use of technology and intervention strategies to reduce vaping amongst its student population.

The Soteria National Leadership Award comes courtesy of its namesake company, Soter Technologies, which manufactures and distributes "sensor technologies and software solutions."

"We're always looking for outstanding schools that are demonstrating leadership in combatting vaping incidents, and Anthony ISD here in Texas has demonstrated that," said Soter Technologies CEO Derek Peterson. "They have really been very proactive installing our devices and putting programs in place to help the students understand the perils of vaping, so we're really excited to be here today."

AISD's anti-vaping crusade dates back to September 2022, when the district installed hidden vape sensors throughout Anthony Middle School and Anthony High School.

"As we've seen from national reports and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a big harm that can be caused when a young life vapes," said AISD Communications Coordinator Adriana Candelaria. "And because they're so young, we want to see them reach their ultimate potential, we want them to stay healthy and, you know, come to school to learn and focus on their studies."

Candelaria said that vaping has never been a big issue at AISD and that the sensors are more of a proactive, preventative measure.

In the 2021-2022 school year before the sensors were installed, Candelaria said the district reported three instances of vaping.

The following school year, or the first since the sensors were installed, they saw four -- the same amount they've seen this school year to date.

"It's not a large number of vaping cases that we're seeing, but again, it's a preventative measure. We want to deter any of that happening in our schools," said Candelaria.

Soter's sensors send a notification to administration and safety personnel when e-cigarette vapor is detected.

Prior to this, reports of students vaping on campus were largely down to observation and word-of-mouth.

“Efforts to reduce vaping are not merely about enforcing rules; they are about protecting the health, potential, and promise of every young person in our care,” said Oscar A. Troncoso, AISD Superintendent.

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