Students in Georgia will join thousands nationwide for the 18th annual Kick Butt Day.
Kick Butt Day allows children to turn the tables on tobacco companies with events ranging from "They put WHAT in a cigarette?" demonstrations to health fairs and rallies at state capitols. Tobacco use in Georgia claims 10,500 lives and costs $2.25 billion annually. Seventeen percent of Georgia's high school students smoke.
Activities planned in Georgia include the following:
On March 16, students from the Health, Education, Awareness, Research on Tobacco Coalition's Help Everyone Live Positive (H.E.A.R.T. to H.E.L.P.), will educate spectators and athletes about the harmful effects of smoking at Morehouse College's annual Tiger Relays in Atlanta. Time: 9 AM. Location: B.T. Harvey Stadium, 830 Westview Drive, Atlanta. Contact: Denis Smith (843) 476-9782.
On March 19, students at J.T. Reddick Middle School in Tifton and Ben Hill Middle School in Fitzgerald will listen to Patrick Reynolds, grandson of tobacco company founder, R.J. Reynolds, speak about the dangers of tobacco use. Time: 9 AM (Tifton) and 1:30 PM (Fitzgerald). Location: J.T. Reddick Middle School, 404 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Tifton; Ben Hill Middle School, 134 JC Hunter Drive, Fitzgerald. Contact: Lindy Bengston (229) 206-2713.
White County Ninth Grade Academy in Cleveland will have an "Airing out Big Tobacco's Dirty Laundry" display along with 46 pairs of shoes during their lunch breaks to spread awareness about the harmful effects from tobacco. Location: 136 Warriors Path, Cleveland. Contact: Annette Boswell (706) 878-8583.
Students from Arthur Williams Middle School in Jesup will create a flash mob during all lunch periods as they show their support for Kick Butts Day. Time: 10:30 AM. Location: 1175 S. Highway 301, Jesup. Contact: Rhonda Stuckey (912) 427-1025 ext. 26.
The PRIDE Youth Programs from Bulloch Alcohol and Drug Council will have a "They put WHAT in a Cigarette?!" display and hand out pledge cards at Portal Middle High School to help students stay tobacco-free. Students will also perform a skit for the Pre-K classes about standing up to peer pressure. Time: 10:45 AM. Location: Portal Middle High School, 27245 Highway 80 West, Portal. Contact: Demita Clark-Hubbard (912) 764-6405.
Unless stated otherwise, events take place on March 20. For a complete list of activities in Georgia, click.
This year, students will be standing up to tobacco companies who advertise their products to children. The ads are effective, encouraging kids to smoke. Most kids don't realize that the tobacco industry is deceptive in their advertising.
By not beginning what could be a lifetime habit, children greatly improve their health and their future. Fewer places of employment tolerate smoking and life insurance has always been higher for people who smoke.
Comments