Rep. Jacque commends youth tobacco prevention group
TWO RIVERS - State Rep. André Jacque recently commended the FACT Group, a state-wide, youth-driven tobacco prevention movement, at Two Rivers High School for the work they have done to decrease tobacco use in students.
“The importance of getting involved and the impact that you have on your peers,” Jacque said. “I mean, for setting up life choices years down the road that again this can be life or death for people, this can be their economic lifestyle, this can be any number of other choices that they make.”
Jacque was invited to attend the FACT Group’s celebration lunch Nov. 17 at Two Rivers High School for The Great American Smokeout, a day started by the American Cancer Society to encourage people to stop tobacco smoking.
”I really applaud you for doing this,” Jacque said.
The FACT Group is a Wisconsin organization that started in 2001. The Two Rivers High School group started in 2006. This year, they boast 26 active members comprised completely of high school students who engage in “Factivisms,” activities that educate people about the dangers of using tobacco.
According to a youth risk behavior survey by the Manitowoc County Health Department and Healthiest Manitowoc County, 43 percent of youth in the county had tried smoking in 2009. In 2015, that number had decreased to 26 percent.
“We are trying to spread the truth about tobacco with our peers,” said student member Diana Henrickson during the FACT presentation at the event. “We want the numbers to go down and tobacco companies target youth. If we target youth, we get a head start better than they can and we have a better chance at succeeding than they do.”
Two Rivers is one of 30 FACT groups in the state and the only one in Manitowoc County.
“If we educate youth, we are hopefully preventing them from ever trying tobacco and then might never become an adult who uses it,” said student member Brooke Behrendt.
One activity the Two Rivers group came up with was to place 435 paper people figures on the wall in the high school which represented the population of the school during the 2014-2015 school year. The group then divided the people according to statistics that indicated how many youth can become addicted to tobacco during their school years, how many of those would die of tobacco-related illnesses and other similar statistics. The display was recognized by the state group and awarded.
“It is a wonderful statement of the positive choices that you are making and how this continues to grow and make an impression on our environment here at the high school,” said District Administrator Lisa Quistorf. “I am very proud of you and thanking for being a part of that.”
The Two Rivers FACT Group advisor is Katie Wilsmann, who works with Manitowoc County to coordinate the Drug-Free Communities Grant. Wilsmann has been involved with the group for the past five years and said she wanted the event to highlight the group’s accomplishments from the past year.
“Their passion, their drive, their commitment, as you can see, their energy, their enthusiasm, it makes tobacco prevention fun,” Wilsmann said. “The way these kids do it makes it so fun and rewarding.”
More information about the FACT organization can be found at their website, www.factmovement.org.