| Press
Release For Immediate Release January 10, 2005 |
|
Grant
to Mary Washington Hospital and King George Co. Schools
Teaches Kids to "Get Real About Tobacco"
Through a $72,000 grant from
the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation (VTSF), Ellen Jones, Education
Coordinator at Mary Washington Hospital, visits fourth, fifth and sixth
graders in King George County each week encouraging them not to smoke
or use tobacco products.
Information gathered from Mary Washington Hospital's smoking cessation program has shown that 14 is the average age when children in this region begin smoking. Jones feels like she is really influencing these children's behaviors by reaching students as young as eight years old. "Children need to know and understand why tobacco is such a dangerous drug. They need the confidence and skills to stand up to the pressures of tobacco," says Jones.
During her weekly visits to King George County elementary schools, Jones teaches kids the issues around tobacco use, refusal skills and how to recognize advertisements that promote youth smoking.
Potomac Elementary School Principal, Deborah Bushrod, is very excited about the program. "The children look forward to having Mrs. Jones come into their P. E. classrooms. I think tobacco prevention is an integral part of a child's education," noted Bushrod.
The tobacco prevention campaign called "Get Real About Tobacco" began in September and will end in June at the end of this school year. Mary Washington Hospital hopes to continue this grant opportunity with VTSF and other area school systems.
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