Tobacco Prevention Program
Program Description
HEAL adopts an innovative approach to preventing tobacco use among youth. The Council sponsors a poster contest among all sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. Tobacco Prevention clubs are initiated in both the elementary and middle school level and develop a community education program.
How it Works
Students are given an educational curriculum with information of the health effects and risks associated with tobacco use. The students are asked to work individually or in teams to prepare a poster to convey the message to other youth to be tobacco free. The posters are submitted for a contest amongst each grade level in each school in the Loudon County and Lenoir City school systems. A panel of judges critique the posters based on validity and creativity of the message. The first, second and third place winners from each grade level competes against one another from each school. The first place posters from each grade level at the countywide contest are made into billboards and placed on the highways/interstate in Loudon County. Other posters are placed in areas of Loudon County for citizens to be aware of the students work. Students in third, fourth and fifth grade levels are given coloring books and activity pages to complete and the students are talked to about making good decisions to be tobacco free.
Eligible Population
The program targets sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students attending Loudon County and Lenoir City Schools. Tobacco free clubs are formed in third through eighth grade.
