Lynnwood Youth Council discusses third places, violence prevention

Published 1:30 am Saturday, September 19, 2026

LYNNWOOD — Lynnwood’s inaugural Youth Council discussed violence prevention, mental health and “third places” among priorities for the school year at the group’s first regular meeting Thursday.

Thirteen of the council’s 15 members were present Thursday. In August 2025, the Lynnwood City Council approved the creation of the Youth Council, an official city commission consisting of teenagers from the Edmonds School District.

Council Vice President Derica Escamilla proposed the idea in September 2024 after Lynnwood teens Tidus Linville-Goodwin and Jayda Woods-Johnson died from gun violence in 2022 and 2024.

Since 2022, there have been 14 shootings in Lynnwood involving 18 teenage victims in Lynnwood, including five fatalities, Mayor George Hurst said in July. Officials across south Snohomish County recognize the problem, but are struggling to find solutions.

Many youth council members agreed Thursday that preventing violence is a top priority.

“The reason I joined Youth Council is because there’s so much violence among teens in Lynnwood — and really just all over the country — and you can’t solve a problem about teens without talking to teens,” said Makayla Chappelle, a junior at Meadowdale High School and secretary of the council.

Much of Thursday’s discussion centered around the idea of “third places,” or spots students can spend time at besides their homes or school. Kelly Schudde, staff liaison to the Youth Council, suggested that the Alderwood Mall used to be a third place for students until the 2024 shooting. The council nodded in agreement.

“The mall used to be something that we would always go to before the shooting,” said Jerico Magat, a senior at Meadowdale High School. “We should create a safe space for kids to be able to go where they don’t have to let their outlet be violence.”

Council members discussed holding movie nights or other events for local youth. They supported creating an Instagram account to let local teens know about resources in the community and to gather interest in the Youth Council. Some members said there seems to be a reputation that Lynnwood is geared toward seniors and older adults.

“There’s a very ‘serious’ stigma around the city of Lynnwood, and the first thing that comes to mind isn’t usually teens and activities and a third place to hang out,” said Karas Younan, a senior at Meadowdale High School.

Other topics included mental health and substance use. Council members estimated that more than half of students at their schools use nicotine.

“Some people got into it at a young age, and it’s been with them for a long time, so they don’t really know how to deal with it,” said Nana Abena Leo-Nkoah, a junior at Meadowdale High School.

Some members expressed support for holding Narcan trainings at schools and finding ways to connect teens with local resources.

Others talked about hosting a youth job fair to give students something to do during their free time. Members said that it’s difficult getting a job as a teenager because more adults seem to be working minimum wage jobs.

“There isn’t a lot of information out there about what type of jobs students can do,” said Isabella McKenzie, a senior at Edmonds-Woodway High School and vice chair of the council. “A lot of people our age think fast food is the only place to go, but a lot of adults are taking those jobs.”

While the council did not make any official decisions Thursday, it will continue developing its priorities over the coming months. The council will hold its next meeting Oct. 15.

Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.