We're BlueService... BlueService is the difference that makes the difference.

Eastern Oklahoma students tell kids, 'Don't Start'

(TULSA, OKLA., May 8, 2006) – Emily McCollum, a first grader at St. Pius X Catholic School in Tulsa, will produce her own 30-second television public service announcement (PSA) with a very important message:  that Oklahoma kids should never start smoking.

Her drawing and narrative was selected from more than 1,000 eastern Oklahoma entries in the Don’t Start smoking storyboard 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            Rhett Crawford                         New Lima Elementary, Wewoka
  • 2nd Place           Caroline Cremin                       Jenks Southeast Elementary
  • 3rd Place            Mikkah Redwine                       White Oaks Elementary, Vinita

2nd – 3rd Grade Category

  • 1st Place            Katelynn Hancock                       Bell Elementary, Tulsa
  • 2nd Place           Sierra Armstrong                        Zarrow International Elementary
  • 3rd Place            Landes Wiscaver                       Jenks Southeast Elementary

4th – 5th Grade Category

  • 1st Place             Kristin Fenstermacher               Will Rogers Elementary, Vinita
  • 2nd Place            Aubrey Cochran                         McKinley Elementary, Tulsa
  • 3rd Place             Alyson Clarkson                         Will Rogers Elementary, Vinita

The students were honored at a May 8 awards ceremony in Tulsa. In addition to producing the public service announcement, McCollum 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 average age for children to start smoking is 11 years old,” said Margaret Crump, chief executive officer, American Lung Association of Oklahoma, “and the starting age is getting younger every year. Oklahoma has one of the highest smoking rates in the nation. We know it’s more critical than ever to reach each student early in an effort to dissuade them from ever starting to smoke.”

Linda Sponsler, vice president of corporate communications, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, said that programs such as Don’t Start make an impact. “The State of the State’s Health Report gives credit to education and prevention programs like Don’t Start for making a difference in children’s health,” she said. “We continue to build upon the success of this program to reach more and more teachers, students and parents statewide.”

Additional contributors to the program included Tulsa Area Safe Kids; Hobby Lobby, East 71st Street, Tulsa; and Wal-Mart Supercenters in Moore and Sand Springs, and 81st and Lewis in Tulsa.