Eastport Students Explore Vaping Risks
Approximately 30% of high school students and 10% of middle school students are vaping now across the US and sadly these statistics are even higher in our rural areas. The best way to help curb this trend is through education and awareness just as was done in the past to raise awareness about the dangers of combustible cigarettes. 99% of vapes contain nicotine and are highly addictive. Highly addictive!
Healthy Acadia would like to congratulate and celebrate all of the participating students from Erin Mahar’s health classes at Eastport Elementary and Shead High Schools for the creative posters they made this fall highlighting the risks of vaping.
“Big things happen with collaborations!” said Georgie Kendall, who served as Community Health Coordinator with Healthy Acadia through November 2021. “This was a wonderful collaborative effort between Healthy Acadia, the City of Eastport,[ City Council members] Jeanne Peacock and Hailley Bradbury, and [Eastport Schools physical and health education teacher] Erin Mahar.”
Three winning designs were selected from each school:
Eastport Elementary School
1st place: Ella Lewey - Grade 5
2nd place: Jonathan Andrews - Grade 7
3rd place: Dana Fradette - Grade 7
Shead High School:
1st place: Audrey Andrews-Grade 9
2nd place: Dana Mahar - Grade 9
3rd place: Amanda Duke - Grade 10
Each winner received a gift certificate to a local business in Eastport. The students chose certificates to R&M IGA and Sweeties Downeast. The gift certificates were made possible through a mini grant opportunity between the City of Eastport and Healthy Acadia for the city’s development, passing and implementation of a city-wide 100% smoke and tobacco free policy. Read more here.
The Tobacco Team at Healthy Acadia has mini-grant opportunities and free signs available for municipalities, youth serving entities, schools, businesses, apartment buildings, vets, pet welfare organizations, and public places that wish to update or create model 100% smoke and tobacco free policies. Our assistance is free and we have the language to help you do this! This is a wonderful opportunity to create spaces for our community to have smoke free air, the norm.
Please contact Healthy Acadia for more information at: tobacco@healthyacadia.org, (207) 255-3741 (Washington County), or (207) 667-7171 (Hancock County).