EDUCATION OFFICE HEADS TO SCHOOLS TO ‘TAKE DOWN TOBACCO’
PARADISE » Two Butte County Office of Education employees showed up Monday at Paradise Junior High School during lunch as part of the weeklong “Take Down Tobacco” events.
Held in the school’s cafeteria, the tables featured an information table with a wheel kids could spin with different myths and facts about tobacco. There was also a display case with tobacco products and at the second table a roll of butcher paper was rolled out and markers given to students to write suggestions for coping mechanisms to deal with mental health issues as opposed to vaping. Some of the examples were working out or listening to music.
Take Down Tobacco was originally scheduled as a
one-day event but the Nicotine Action Alliance of Butte County decided to expand the event to a weeklong series of lunchtime events and other events at various schools.
“We are trying to empower kids and get them to think about the choices they’re making,” said Melissa Anderson, Butte County Office of Education prevention programs co-coordinator. “Kids should do research and find out what they are putting in their bodies. We want to educate students about the effects of tobacco on their bodies.”
As an incentive, the Butte County Office of Education employees gave out candy and raffle tickets to the students who participated.
The campaign has been going on for years, but this is the first time Butte County is holding the events at schools.
Swarms of students visited the tables at Paradise Junior High. Butte County Office of Education employee Joselinne Pulido and BCOE intern and Chico State student Taylor Cutler worked the tables talking to
as many students as they could.
Paradise Junior High students Kylin Crawford and Jayme Leeper handled the coping mechanism table.
“I have a family member who smokes,” said Crawford when asked why she volunteered to work at the event. “I want to prevent people from using tobacco products. I’m scared that something else is going to happen.”
“There are so many other ways to cope instead of vaping,” Leeper said. “I’ve lost a lot of family members after their use of tobacco products.. My grandma smoked for 40 years.”
Paradise Junior High principal Larry Johnson was pleased with the event turnout.
“This spread awareness
to the kids and it’s a good thing,” Johnson said. “It’s a fun way to make it happen. BCOE did intervention classes during physical education classes. This is a great group of kids.”
Cutler said the goal was to educate students as much as possible.
“We want to make sure the kids have resources and tools and form healthy habits,” said Cutler. “Kids might not know the health effects of tobacco. This challenges their minds.”
On Mar. 30 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. there will be a virtual Parent/Caregiver and Teacher Education Night.
For more information visit https://www.takedowntobacco.org. The weeklong event will culminate in an event at the Wildflower and Nature Festival in Oroville April 2 at Riverbend Park. Anderson can also be emailed at manderson@bcoe.org for more information and how to get involved.