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| Spotlight on Youth - March 17, 2010 |
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4-H teens bring anti-tobacco message to students
EDDYVILLE, Ky. — Equipped with posters, props and personal testimonies, members of the Lyon County 4-H Teen Leadership Council shared with elementary students the consequences of using tobacco products and the reasons why they chose to not use them.
Their presentation to fourth- and fifth-graders at Lyon County Elementary School was part of a program called Teens Against Tobacco Use or TATU. The American Lung Association started the national effort to discourage young people from using tobacco products.
The Lyon County program began eight years ago when employees of the county’s health department were looking for teens to participate and asked for assistance from Wanda Paris, Lyon County 4-H youth development agent with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.
The American Lung Association targeted Kentucky as a state with a high percentage of underage tobacco users. Within the state, the Pennyrile region was considered a high-risk area.
In the past few years, the 4-Hers have taken sole possession of the program. The teens begin planning the program several months in advance. Members of previous groups serve as mentors to the teens.
“The 4-Hers take this program very seriously and must meet certain qualifications in order to participate,” Paris said. She added that 4-Hers must be a member of the 4-H Teen Leadership Council, sign a contract saying they have been and will continue to be tobacco free and attend workshops like the regional Helping Overcome Tobacco Conference, where they get ideas for the program.
While programs vary every year, they all have a tobacco-free message and are sensitive to the fact that tobacco use in the area is still high.
“While the 4-Hers stress the benefits of being tobacco free, they also emphasize that smokers are not bad people,” Paris said. “They may not have had programs like this when they were in school and didn’t understand the consequences of it when they started.”
Chonita Wadlington, a fourth-grade teacher at the school, said this is one of the most popular programs among her students.
“So many of these teens are role models for the younger students” she said. “Many of them are athletes or actively involved in other school organizations, and the younger ones look up to them. This program has a big impact.”
Some of the 4-Hers joined the group because of the influence it had on them when they were in the elementary school.
“When I was in fifth grade, a bunch of teens did this for me, and it’s the reason why I didn’t pick up tobacco,” said Katie Jones, 4-Her and senior at Lyon County High School. She has been involved with the program for the past four years.
“My older sister was in the group that started this,” said Landon Norman, 4-Her and Lyon County High School sophomore. “When I was a kid, I looked up to them and believed what they said.”
Paris and the 4-Hers presented the program to other 4-H groups this past fall at the Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference in Crossville, Tenn.
Miami East FFA shares in leadership activities
CASSTOWN, Ohio — The Miami East FFA Chapter recently hosted the Leadership Challenge. Several members from Miami East FFA attended the activities. State FFA officers coordinated the workshops. The FFA members enjoyed a pizza party prior to the event.
Representing the Ohio FFA Association were State Secretary Justin Bachman, State Reporter Rachel Skinner, and District 5 President Meghan Maurer. During the activities, members completed team building activities, discussed chapter issues, and discussed what traits and people make a positive influence in their lives.
The highlight of the evening was a challenge when members were placed into groups and asked to complete challenges including a team “knot” that had to maneuver through an obstacle course. Attending from Miami East FFA were Shannon Wargo, Daniel Williams, Montana Coonrod, Sheena Roach, Morgan Jess, Courtney Magoto, Allie Kindell, Josh Furrow, Kyle Roeth, David Long, Dylan Taylor, Corey Rindler, Montana Woolley, Seth Coverstone, Ryan Davis, Jake Eidemiller, Emily Johnson, Paige Kiesewetter, Sam Everett, Reed Pyers, Kaylee Schaefer, Shelby Long, Sarah Pyers, Jeni Slone, Cierra Nales, Heather Plunkett, Brooke North, Kasie Karnhem, Ashley Schaefer, Alex Wallace, Samantha Wimmer, Dalton Haywood, Chris Frazier, Bryan Francis, Chelsea Sherman, Jake Miller, Brittney Brookhart, Amber Owen, Shane Kingrey, Colt Cavanaugh, Brady Davis and others.
Recently several members of the Miami East FFA Chapter also competed in the District 5 FFA job interview and ag sales contests held at Tri-County North High School in Preble County.
The job interview Contest consists of designing a resume and cover letter, completing a job application, performing an interview, and writing a thank you note.
Brittney Brookhart competed in the Division 4 (senior year) interview competition. She placed fifth in the district out of 15 contestants. Shannon Wargo competed in the Division 2 (sophomore year) contest, placed third in the district out of 13 contestants. Montana Woolley competed in the Division 1 (freshman year) contest and placed second out of 11 contestants. Montana and Shannon will receive plaques for placing in the top three.
The ag sales team consisted of Hannah Allen, Jacob Eidemiller, Corrine Melvin and Emily Johnson. The team members each completed a test on agricultural sales, customer relations, and demonstrated their ability to sell an agricultural product. The team placed second and will advance to state competition in March. |
| 3/17/2010 |
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