Standard junior high students say “Your Butt Stinks”

Times Contributor

 

Students from Standard School join with BLAST (Building Leadership for Action in Schools Today!) to inform fellow students about the hazards of smoking.

 Since 1996 the BLAST program has used interactive and engaging methods to challenge Alberta youth in Grades 7-9 to think critically about the tobacco industry and its products, as well as the social, global and health effects of tobacco use.

 Heather Lisney and Barb Borkent, both program specialists with The Lung Association of Alberta and NWT came to Standard School to give some presentations and update students on the effects of tobacco in all its forms. They engaged the students in their power point presentations and had prizes for students who correctly answered some tough questions.

The Junior high students were divided into four color groups and wore T-shirts that were given to them with the theme for the day “Your Butt Stinks”. 

The students were then encouraged to participate in different sessions before being dismissed for a lunch break. Agrium from Standard generously provided a BBQ hamburger lunch in support of the day.

The afternoon was spent with outside activities to encourage students to be physically active. 

“Today, BLAST continues to offer many opportunities for students and teachers to become actively involved in tobacco education. From FREE half-day, in-school Mini-BLAST workshops and teacher professional development opportunities, to a FREE 2.5 day tobacco awareness conference in the fall, participants are trained in building school and community leadership skills while developing project planning and advocacy techniques.” (Alberta & NWT website for The Lung Association) or directly at blast@ab.lung.ca.

For students interested in starting a BLAST program in their school go to the website for The Lung Association and click on their link. The 2012 conference this year will be held at the Gull Lake Centre in Lacombe on Oct. 24-26.