Students and staff at Turkey Valley Community School along with members of Just Eliminate Lies (JEL), Iowa’s youth-led anti-tobacco group celebrated Kick Butts Day on Wednesday, March 25th. Kick Butts Day is a student driven event whose purpose is to expose the truth about Big Tobacco Companies. This national event is a great way to bring tobacco awareness to community members all across the country.
JEL members invited students and staff to sign a tobacco-free pledge. Those signing the pledge are tobacco-free and plan to stay that way. Students signing the pledge were offered candy Smarties and staff who signed the pledge were allowed to wear jeans to school on Thursday, March 26th. 48% of the students and 80% of staff signed the tobacco-free pledge.
JEL members involved the elementary students in the day’s events as well. During gym class, students played kick ball and once on base a JEL member read a tobacco fact to the class. Mr. Reicks, PE teacher, discussed the fact with the students. “Ciggy Butt” made a guest appearance in the elementary classrooms through out the day.
JEL member Ashley Bucheit commented, “It was interesting to hear how smoking has affected the kids personally and how worried they are about family members that still smoke.” Santana Perry said, “As a senior, I’m glad we’re being role models for the younger kids that smoking is not cool.”
