Kick Butts Day in Dixon
DIXON - Friday was, “Kick Butts Day,” at the Dixon Elementary School and it was a day was dedicated to giving tobacco the kick.
Janice Parmalee, a Tobacco Control and Prevention Specialist for Sanders County, visited the school twice prior to the school event over the week. Parmalee explained, “We (other Tobacco Control and Prevention Specialists) are trained by the Montana Tobacco Prevention Program.”
She taught the 7th and 8th graders about the effects of smoking and chewing tobacco. She then instructed the students on how to teach the younger students of the school about the effects of smoking.
Once the 7th and 8th graders were well informed of the dangers of smoking or chewing tobacco, with the help of Parmalee and faculty, the group transformed the school’s gymnasium into a teaching ground for tobacco prevention.
Five stations were set up where two 7th or 8th graders manned each station, and where groups of younger students would cycle through. The first station was the “Tar Jar” station, where students learned about how much tar is released into the body if someone smokes a pack a day.
Fourth grader, Stephen Ioli, said, “At table section one, that was really gross.” He then said, “Drugs and tobacco are very bad for you and especially cigarettes.”
The next station was about how tobacco companies target youth to lure them into buying cigarettes. There, students decorated signs saying no to tobacco.
A station which was a big hit was a one where Michle Hagel and Ez Liberty pumped up a healthy pig lung to demonstrate how lungs work. Once they put the healthy one away, they pulled out a set of lungs that showed the signs of smoke inhalation and tar build up and their inability to take in air. The smell of the sick pair of lungs turned some away.
“I don’t want to do it,” said Liberty, about smoking, “Yeah!” agreed Hagel. Both knew smoking was harmful, but were unaware of just how bad it was for the lungs until they were taught how to give the lung demonstration.
The next two stations taught the students about the effects of chewing tobacco on a person’s gums and the last station was called “Crime Scene Investigation,” where students all laid down on black paper and drew chalk outlines of themselves. It was meant to show the possible outcome of what can happen if a person smokes or chews.
The therapist for the school, Marie Michaels, explained that many of the younger students are learning lessons that the faculty hopes they will remember when the time comes for them to make the right decision. She also said, “Their whole world is their parents, they are concerned about their parents or grandparents that smoke.”
As part of the day, along with the stations and teaching meant to steer students away from tobacco, the students and faculty all wore their pajamas. The purpose was to “Put a rest to smoking,” as Michaels described it.
Parmalee also donated orange shirts, stickers, small bracelets and fact-filled business cards to all of the students, 53 total, at the school. Once the event was over, the students all went out to the basketball court, and with chalk, designed and wrote anti-smoking logos on the court.