Youth from the Columbia High School TRU (Tobacco.Reality.Unfiltered.) Club joined thousands of teens from across the country who took part in Kick Butts Day (KBD), a nationwide initiative that makes kids leaders in the effort to prevent youth tobacco use.  The Columbia High School TRU Club received a KBD mini-grant from the United Health Foundation through the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids to promote their event and purchase TRU Club sweatshirts.

As part of the KBD celebration Columbia High School students cleaned up almost 400 cigarette butts at Town Park and presented on the dangers of secondhand smoke and cigarette butt litter to the Tyrrell Parks and Recreation Commission.  Earlier in the month the TRU Club members also presented a tobacco use prevention puppet play for the third grade students at Tyrrell Elementary School.

“We did a variety of activities to hopefully educate a broad segment of our community,” stated Sarah Fox, Adult Leader for the Columbia High School TRU Club, “and I can see that our high school students are an important and effective component to reducing teen tobacco use”.

Every day, more than 4,000 kids try their first cigarettes; another 1,000 kids become addicted smokers, one-third of whom will die prematurely as a result.

For information about the KBD event, contact Lisa Phillips the Tobacco Free Living Coordinator for the Community Transformation Grant Project at 475-5077 or for information on KBD visit www.kickbuttsday.org.

 

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Columbia High School TRU Club members picked up almost 400 cigarette butts at Town Park in recognition of National Kick Butts Day.  Pictured from left to right:  Briana Gibbs, Reggeon Hicks, Ashante Spruill, Sarah Fox (Adult Leader),Jenna Hopkins, Lakitia Basnight, Angel Hill, Nelson Martinez-Borja.

Columbia High School TRU Club members (pictured left to right) Reggeon Hicks, Ashante Spruill, Jenna Hopkins, Nelson Martinez-Borja, and Adult Leader Sarah Fox prepare to speak to the Tyrrell County Parks and Recreation Commission about the dangers of secondhand smoke and cigarette butt litter.

Columbia High School TRU Club members present a puppet play to the Tyrrell Elementary School 3rd graders that focused on the dangers of tobacco use and prevention.  Shown left to right: Nelson Martinez-Borja, Jenna Hopkins, Ashante Spruill, Reggeon Hicks, Briana Gibbs, Allie Cabacar, Devin Phelps, and James White.