Stamp Out Smoking Announces Winners of 2009 Essay Contest - December 14th, 2009
Winners have been selected out of more than 1,600 entries received for the Stamp Out Smoking “Tobacco Tackle” essay contest – the highest participation in the four-year history. Entries were divided into three categories: grades 2-3, 4-6 and 7-9, with a first-, second- and third-place winner in each category.
The Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program, hosts an annual essay contest encouraging Arkansas youth to write essays about the heroes in their lives who exemplify healthy and tobacco-free lifestyles.
In the category for grades 2-3, Ethan Tabor, a 2nd grader from Harrison, won first place, while Brooke Rainwater, a 3rd grader from Paris, and Lilly Rogers, a 2nd grader from Jonesboro, placed second and third. In the category for grades 4-6, Nicole Hill, a 4th grade student from Mena, took home the first-place prize. Hannah Braden, a 6th grade student from Viola, was awarded second place and Julie Thompson, a 6th grader from Leachville, came in third. In the category for grades 7-9, Samantha McCain, a 7th grade student from Wheatley, was awarded first place, while Garrett Paul Wickham, a 9th grader from Mountain View, and Haley Harvell, an 8th grader from Arkadelphia, placed second and third.
“We had a tremendous response in this year’s contest. It’s encouraging to see so many youth throughout our state who are motivated to follow their healthy heroes’ lifestyle to be tobacco-free,” said Dr. Carolyn Dresler, TPCP program director. The winning students will be awarded with exciting prizes such as a laptop, Nintendo Wii or an iPod.
An independent panel of judges from Stephen F. Austin State University’s English department in Nacogdoches, Texas, scored the entries and selected the winners. All winning essays are posted on www.stampoutsmoking.com.
The “Tobacco Tackle” essay contest is a tobacco prevention program for the SOS media and public relations campaign. For additional information on other tobacco prevention programs in your area, contact the Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program office at (501) 661-2953 or visit www.stampoutsmoking.com.
