News and Events
Fort White Middle School Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Share Information on the Risks of Smokeless Tobacco
February 18, 2016
During “Through With Chew Week”, SWAT members from Fort White Middle School took it to the classrooms to directly educate their peers on smokeless tobacco.
Back Row, from L to R: Mya Harvell, Evan Johnson, and Elizabeth DePasquale-Schweitzer; Front row, from L to R: Jacovya Major and Lana Tedesco
Here’s what SWAT member Sydnee Kelly said about her experience.
"We gave presentations about smokeless tobacco during Through With Chew Week. At the end of January, we had two short SWAT meetings to organize and practice in our groups what we were going to say to the homeroom classes. We wrote our scripts so everyone would know exactly what to say and divided into partners. We presented facts and advertising awareness to grades six through eight about the dangers that smokeless tobacco can cause. Everyone had to wear their SWAT shirts, so we could match and represent our club. The students, including me, enjoyed our meetings and the presentations. Several of our teachers told our sponsor that we did a great job."
"I was in a group with my best friend, Payton Gainey. We went to two eighth grade classrooms. At first, I was nervous to go to a higher grade level classroom, but I was with one of my best friends and I knew some of the people in the classes, so I was fine then. I felt good that I educated others on smokeless tobacco and also learned some new facts about it myself. We hope we can do more things like this in the future."
“Through With Chew Week" is a public awareness campaign that was created to reduce the use of smokeless tobacco among young people and help combat this deadly addiction. This wek, “Through With Chew Week” took place during the week of February 14-20.
