December 17, 2009 - Today, Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute student, Kaijah Collins Baxter, was announced as the lucky winner of the “Take Control of Your Life…Drive Away from Tobacco and Don’t Look Back!” contest.
This fall, all youth aged 14 – 18, were challenged to ‘take control’ and quit using tobacco for the month of November for a chance to win one of two gift certificates for a full driving school package.
With the support of her family and her buddy, Kaija reported that she is now proud to be tobacco free. “I was very confident right from the beginning that I could quit smoking,” said Kaija. “I realized that cigarettes were a waste of money.”
Amanda Collins, Kaija’s mother, said “that this positive acknowledgement couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Another driving school package was awarded to Kristen Schutte, a student at Hammarskjold High School. She pledged to ‘never start’ using a tobacco industry product.
The prizes were generously donated by Gerry Picard, owner of www.thedrivingschool.ca.
Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about the harmful effects and addictive nature of tobacco. “Even if you currently smoke, tell your children about your experience and how you would feel if they started,” said Susan Trevisan, a Public Health Nurse and Tobacco Treatment Specialist at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. “This can go a long way to helping them choose a tobacco-free lifestyle.”
Lunch hour displays will continue throughout the school year at local high schools to provide an opportunity for students to ask questions and talk with a tobacco treatment counsellor. The majority of smokers, young and young at heart, want to quit smoking and any bit of support can help.