Be Smart – Don't Start Anti-Tobacco Contest Offers New Curriculum and Prizes
Participating students can win an iPad for the classroom and other great prizes!
Oklahoma City, OK — The annual, statewide Be Smart – Don’t Start Anti-Tobacco Contest has upgraded its curriculum, prizes and convenience for teachers. The contest educates students in grades K-5 on the dangers of tobacco through a new and improved Smart Board compatible curriculum. The 30-minute lesson is fun, interactive and includes assessments aligned with Oklahoma’s new C3 Standards.
The 2013 Be Smart – Don't Start Contest will run from January 14 – February 18 and the winners will be announced in Spring 2013.
The DVD curriculum is free and customized for two different age groups, grades K-2 and 3-5. Also new to the program, the contest entries will be created as a class through one of three multi-media categories: video, audio or visual. The entries should be created based on the concepts learned through the anti-tobacco curriculum and educate other students and adults of the dangers of tobacco. The entries will be judged on content, and teachers do not need to be concerned about video or image resolution. Submissions recorded on a smart phone or hand-held camera will suffice.
The entries will be judged by age and category, allowing for three first, second and third place winners in each grade group (K–2 and 3–5) and one overall grand prize winner. The grand-prize winner will have their entry turned into a 30-second public service announcement featuring the classes' own creativity and voices. The public service announcement will be distributed to television stations, posted on multiple websites and promoted across the state.
In addition, the grand prize winner and six first place winners will receive an iPad for their classroom. Those winners will also be honored during a ceremony at the State Capitol, followed by a field trip to Science Museum Oklahoma. All travel costs will be covered by the program. Second and third place winners will receive cash prizes and certificates to recognize their hard work.
The event is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma; the American Lung Association, Plains-Gulf Region; the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Contest entries must be uploaded on the Be Smart – Don't Start website by February 18 at 5 p.m. To request a DVD curriculum, visit bcbsok.com/dontstart. For more information, call 405-316-7008 or email besmart@bcbsok.com.
