The Power of Parents vaping rack card, courtesy of Greenwich Together
Be Smart, Don’t Start
In 2018, Greenwich Together, a Kids In Crisis-administered coalition of 32 agencies, conducted a youth behavior survey through all of the town’s private and public middle and high schools. From the survey it was clear that reducing and preventing vaping among teens should be a major priority, specifically those students in transitioning from 8th to 9th grade.
Greenwich Together’s Education Committee, which works collaboratively with students from the local Greenwich high schools, many of whom are part of the First Selectman’s Youth Commission, held a contest to see who could come up with the most effective way discourage kids from vaping.
The winning idea was a cell phone card wallet with the message ‘Be smart. Don’t start’ designed by a Greenwich High School senior. The wallets were distributed the school’s 9th grade orientation by the Outreach Club – a Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter, and will be distributed at the other Greenwich middle and high schools throughout the fall.
In addition, the survey revealed that kids felt their parents lacked knowledge about the serious potential health dangers of vaping, and the various forms of vaping. Kids also admitted that their parents still held significant influence over their behaviors, concluding that educating parents is critical. The committee is currently producing a video in Greenwich High School’s production studio, targeting parents and featuring messages from the students themselves. The video is expected to be circulated later this year through social media and various community websites.
