Chester County students help kick butts

Essay contest sponsored by Health Department, Tobacco-Free Coalition

WEST CHESTER -The Chester County Tobacco-Free Coalition (CCTFC) and Chester County Health Department hosted the Seventh Annual Kick Butts Day youth essay contest public reading event this week at the Chester County Government Services Center.

In front of a crowd of family, friends, school personnel, community members, and State Rep. John Lawrence and State Rep. Warren Kampf, 10 finalists, all Chester County students in 7^th and 8^th grade, read personal essays about how their lives have been impacted by tobacco.

Jeanne Casner, director of the Chester County Health Department said, “In Chester County, over one-third of students will have tried cigarettes before finishing 12^th grade. Additionally, smoking-related illnesses are the leading cause of death for adults 25 and older in Chester County.”

“However, the most important statistic is that over 93 percent of Chester County youth do not regularly use tobacco. Chester County youth are leaders in the state and in the nation for smart decision-making regarding tobacco use. To continue this progress, Chester County needs continued action by young advocates like the students who wrote and submitted essays for Kick Butts Day. These writers, and the talented finalists reading their entries in a public forum, are true leaders for speaking up against Big Tobacco and helping to shape a healthier Chester County” added Casner.

Nearly 90 essays were submitted for this year’s contest. CCTFC members and CCHD staff scored the entries and invited the 10 finalists to the Kick Butts Day public reading event.

Contest winners: