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Eastern Oklahoma students tell kids, ‘Don’t Start’

(TULSA, OKLA., May 11, 2005) – Chloe Stafford, a second grader at Ator Heights Elementary in Owasso, Okla., produced her own 30-second television public service announcement (PSA) yesterday, with a very important message:  that Oklahoma kids should never start smoking.

Her drawing and narrative was selected from more than 3,000 eastern Oklahoma entries in the Don’t Start anti-smoking contest for students, grades kindergarten through fifth. The program is co-sponsored by the American Lung Association of Oklahoma, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, Cox Communications and the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

Nine other students were chosen as winners in their divisions:

 K – 1st Grade Category
 1st Place     Jessica Bowker     St. Mary's Catholic School, Ponca City
 2nd Place     Emily McCollum     St. Pius Catholic School, Tulsa
 3rd Place     Victoria Maxwell     Holy Family Cathedral School, Tulsa
 
 2nd – 3rd Grade Category
 1st Place     Kayli Stamper     Jarman Elementary, Tulsa
 2nd Place     Brooklyn Broad     William R. Teague Elementary, Wagoner
 3rd Place     Jessica Conrad     Jarman Elementary, Tulsa
 
 4th – 5th Grade Category
 1st Place     Francesca Evans     Frontier Elementary, Red Rock
 2nd Place     Amanda Blake     Allen Bowden Elementary, Tulsa
 3rd Place     Christin Woodall     Will Rogers Elementary, Vinita

The students were honored at an awards ceremony in Tulsa May 10. In addition to producing the public service announcement, Stafford received a bicycle and safety helmet. First-place winners received personal CD players, second-place winners received art kits with easels and third-place winners received art kits.

“The Centers for Disease Control says that 17 percent of children grades 6-8 currently smoke cigarettes,” said Kay Todd, chief executive officer, American Lung Association of Oklahoma. “One-third of Oklahoma high school students currently smoke. That’s compared with
national averages of 11 percent for the younger group and 28 percent for the high school youth.”

“We were pleased with our first Don’t Start contest in 2004, and we’ve built upon that success this year by more than doubling our participation statewide,” said Ron King, chairman, chief executive officer and president, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma. “The most recent State of the State’s Health Report shows a decline in youth smoking in Oklahoma, and the report gives credit to education and prevention programs like Don’t Start for making the difference.”

Additional contributors to the program included Hobby Lobby, Meeks Litho, Oklahoma Safe Kids and Automated Mail Service.