Concord School helps promote Stamp Out Smoking campaign

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

CONCORD - For the past four years, Concord School District has participated in the Stamp Out Smoking Community Lifesavers Service Learning Project in conjunction with the Arkansas Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program.

Concord is one of only 15 high schools across the state to be selected to participate in the program, sponsor Karen Lafferty said. This year's team members are Seth Templin, Cheyenne Roark, Anthony Tate, Danielle Jenkins, Derek Burnett and Brittany Pilcher.

Lafferty said the team's objective has been to create events and activities that will help to educate the student body, school families and neighboring communities about the dangers involved with tobacco usage, for not only the user but for those subjected to their secondhand smoke as well.

Among the activities that the Concord Stamp Out Smoking team has carried out this year are assemblies for all grades on both of campuses. The team performed a puppet show for grades K-5 at the Wilburn campus and K-4 on the Concord campus with an accompanying slide presentation explaining the consequences of using tobacco. The team's presentation at the 5th-12th-grade assembly at Concord incorporated a slide presentation for that age group including results of a survey taken among the group pertaining to their own tobacco usage. Guest speakers and performers for this assembly were local musicians, Britton Currie and Jon Cornelison. Altogether, approximately 500 students and faculty members attended these assemblies, Lafferty said.

The team conducted two community events:

◊A Stamp Out Smoking Show and Shine Car Show on March 15.

Lafferty said though rain and hail hindered the turnout, there were 21 entries in the show ranging from Cave City, Newark, Batesville, Bee Branch, Heber Springs, Greers Ferry, Edgemont and Pangburn, as well as from Drasco and Concord. The SOS team provided educational materials and displays pertaining to tobacco use for those who attended. Partnering with the team for the car show was the Concord chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America helping with the concession stand. Concord Beta Club also held its annual pancake breakfast in conjunction with the event.

◊The fourth annual Concord Stamp Out Smoking Health Fair held in conjunction with parentteacher conferences on April 3.

There were 16 organizations and businesses providing a wide array of health-related materials and testing. KFFB radio station was on hand to provide live, remote coverage, and a steady stream of approximate 200 visitors turned out for the five-hour event including students and faculty members as well as a number from local and surrounding communities.

Three Rivers, Pages 127 on 04/13/2008