Pittsgrove, New Jersey: Anti-Tobacco Club Uses Outdoor Movie as Rally Point

Marc Romano and Liz Wesztergom students from Cumberland Regional High School and Tom Glatfelter and Jim Riendeau students from Vineland High School get ready for the show to start! (Photo taken by Jessica Ortuso)

The hot chocolate was piping and the aroma of buttered popcorn filled the air as dozens of high school students gathered in the near freezing temperatures on Friday November 6th at Green Branch Park in , NJ. REBEL members from Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties assembled to watch Grease on a 21 foot inflatable movie screen at an event they called “REEL Change with REBEL.”

Part of REBELS mission is not only to reach out and educate their peers about the dangers of using tobacco and the lies that Big Tobacco uses to market to youth but also, to encourage schools to adopt a Comprehensive Tobacco Free School Policy. “Grease cited specific examples of Comprehensive Tobacco Free School Policy violations. It proved that the more accepted smoking is the more likely students are to be persuaded into using tobacco,” Jessie Salerno, 17 of Salem County said.

Salerno serves as a representative for Salem, Gloucester and Cumberland Counties on the Council of Nine which is a leadership board representing the nine regions in this statewide movement. “Our Tri-County event was a great opportunity for our three counties to get together, in a fun, tobacco awareness environment, and enjoy and learn from a classic musical.”

Jessica Ortuso

source-http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20091117/GETPUBLISHED/911170356/1005/opinion

,

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply