HICKMAN COUNTY SCHOOLS RURAL TENNESSEE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
Vape Detection Supports Prevention Efforts in Rural Tennessee Schools
Across rural school districts, educators are facing a growing challenge: student vaping that is easy to hide, widely accessible, and increasingly common among younger students.
In Hickman County Schools in Tennessee, administrators were seeing signs of vaping, but lacked consistent ways to detect when and where it was happening. After installing Zeptive vape detectors in the district’s two high schools, school leaders gained better visibility into incidents that previously went unnoticed.
The detectors are now helping the district reduce vaping in bathrooms and locker rooms while supporting a broader strategy focused on prevention, education, and student support.
District Background
Hickman County Schools serves approximately 2,900 students across a rural community of about 25,000 residents. The district includes two high schools, two middle schools, and additional elementary campuses spread across a large geographic area.
The county faces many of the same challenges common in rural communities, including limited access to healthcare and mental health services, as well as the effects of generational poverty and substance misuse.
The district’s two high schools, East Hickman High School and Hickman County High School, are nearly identical in size, each serving just over 400 students.
As vaping became more common among students, district leaders began looking for ways to address the issue more effectively.
The Vaping Challenge
Before vape detectors were installed, the district had limited tools for identifying
when students were vaping on campus. In many cases, vaping went unnoticed,
particularly in bathrooms and locker rooms where supervision is limited.
“We got lucky if we caught somebody,” said Kara Hobbs, the district’s Coordinated
School Health Director.
At the same time, educators were seeing vaping start earlier among students.
Recent student surveys showed many students being offered vapes in sixth grade.
FAST FACTS
CUSTOMER
Rural Tennessee Public School District
INDUSTRY
Education
GEOGRAPHY
Tennessee
DISTRICT SIZE
2,900 students
THE ISSUE
Student vaping occurs in bathrooms and locker rooms, limited visibility into incidents, and increasing exposure among younger students.
RESULTS
Immediate detection of vaping incidents through real-time alerts
Increased visibility into previously undetected behavior
Strong deterrent effect in bathrooms and locker rooms
Data to support prevention and intervention programs
Why They Chose Zeptive
Hickman County began exploring vape detection technology through a partnership with a nonprofit organization focused on youth behavioral health and prevention.
Through a school safety initiative, the district received funding support for vape detectors as well as vape prevention training, helping to ensure that technology implementation was paired with education and student support strategies.
“We’re thankful for them,” Hobbs said. “They’re working. They’re catching kids.”
Implementation & Use
The district first installed detectors in two high school buildings, focusing on bathrooms and other locations where vaping was most likely to occur.
Installation largely took place during school closures and breaks, including during an extended winter weather closure that allowed staff to install additional devices without disrupting students.
Plans are now underway to expand coverage to middle schools, where administrators hope to intervene earlier as students begin encountering vaping.
Early Impact
Shortly after the detectors were installed, the district began receiving alerts that confirmed vaping incidents were occurring more frequently than previously detected. In one instance, shortly after returning from a school closure, the system recorded six alerts in a single day. The alerts allowed administrators to investigate incidents immediately and monitor patterns of activity.
More importantly, the detectors have begun to change student behavior. Bathrooms and locker rooms had previously been the most common locations for vaping because they provided privacy. With detectors in place, those “safe spaces” have largely disappeared.
Supporting Prevention Efforts
While enforcement is important, Hickman County views vape detection as just one component of a broader prevention strategy. The district operates a unique student-athlete ambassador program, where high school athletes visit younger students in grades 3 through 5 to talk about avoiding vaping and other risky behaviors.
The program focuses on teaching simple refusal skills, encouraging students to respond to peer pressure with a straightforward phrase: “No, I’m good.” These peer-led conversations help reinforce the message that not all students vape and that it’s acceptable to decline.
Looking Ahead
Following the initial success at the high school level, Hickman County plans to expand vape detectors into middle schools and additional areas within existing buildings.
Administrators hope earlier detection and prevention efforts will help reduce the number of students who develop nicotine addiction at a young age.
For district leaders, the technology provides something that was previously missing: visibility.
By identifying when vaping occurs and responding quickly, schools can intervene sooner and support students who may need help.