Mission and Goals

The mission of Tar Wars is to educate students about being tobacco free, provide them with the tools to make positive decisions regarding their health, and promote personal responsibility for their well being. By utilizing a community-based approach to mobilize family physicians, educators, and other health care professionals, Tar Wars can accomplish its mission. Goals of the program are to: 

• Educate and motivate students to be tobacco free.

• Mobilize health care professionals to become proactive in their community's health education.

• Encourage community involvement in support of the Tar Wars program.

 

Honorable Mention

Hannah Walters, 5th Grader

Kenova Elementary, Wayne County

Payton Morrone, 5th Grader

Kenova Elementary, Wayne County

Teresa McClure, 5th Grader

Panther Creek Elementary, Nicholas County

Ashlee White, 5th Grader

Normantown Elementary, Gilmer County

 

Re Enna Truman, 5th Grader

Big Otter Creek Elementary, Clay County

 

Hunter Shafer, 4th Grader

Green Bank Elementary, Pocahontas County

• Presenter Information
  • Information for Presenters
  • Presenter Sign-up Form
  • Program Guide
  • Poster Contest
  • Presenter Questionnaire
• Teacher Information
  • Information For Teachers
  • School Sign-Up Form
  • Program Guide
  • Parent Packet
  • 2011-2012 Poster Contest
  • Release Form
  • Poster Contest Form
  • Pre/Post Test
  • Teacher's Questionnaire
• WV Poster Contest
  • 2011-2012 Poster Contest Guidelines
  • Release Form
  • Poster Contest Form
• More Resources
  • National Tar Wars Main Website
  • WV Department of Tobacco Prevention
  • WV Academy of Family Physicians Main Website
  • Press Releases
  • Adobe Acrobat™ Reader Download Link

 

WVAFP Presents: Tar Wars

Program Overview:

Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke causes nearly 440,000 deaths in the United States each year, making tobacco use the leading preventable cause of death. Each day, more than 3,500 children in the United States try their first cigarette; another 1,000 become new regular, daily smokers. About a third of all youth smokers will eventually die prematurely from smoking-related disease.

In addition to the well-known, long-term health effects, children who smoke may immediately experience increased heartbeat and blood pressure, respiratory problems, reduced immune function, increased illness, tooth decay, gum disease, and precancerous gene mutations. The tobacco industry also spends more than $13.1 billion each year to promote use of their products. Much of that marketing directly reaches and influences kids.

Tar Wars was founded in response to this growing, yet preventable, health crisis. Administered by the American Academy of Family Physicians, Tar Wars is an award-winning, tobacco-free education program targeting fourth- and fifth-grade students.

Tar Wars uses an effective and innovative approach to teaching tobacco prevention, focusing on the short-term, image-based consequences of tobacco use and how to think critically about tobacco advertising.

The Tar Wars lesson is presented by health care professionals and educators. Tar Wars also provides health care professionals, school personnel, and community members the opportunity to form coalitions that share the common goal of discouraging tobacco use among children. A poster contest at the school, state, and national levels is conducted to reinforce the Tar Wars message.

Help Tar Wars in the fight against tobacco use!

SIGN UP TODAY!

_

__ fgg_

__Madison Mohr, 4th Grade Student ____Sid Jackson, MD and Mike Gibbs, MD

_____Normantown Elementary, _________Presented Awards to Winners

_______ _Gilmer County_______________________

 

t brdtyb

_ _Lucy Diedrich, 5th Grade Student______Prue Randall, 5th Grade Student

_____Winfield Elementary School, _______West Hamlin Elementary School,

_____ ___Putnam Countyy_______________ ____Lincoln County _LincolnCountydf

2010-2011 West Virginia Tar Wars Poster Winners