On Presidents Day 2017, our Boulder Elementary School’s reACT group, had the opportunity to go to a special anti-tobacco conference at the capitol build- ing in Helena. It was called Celebration on the Hill. Several weeks before we headed to the capital we contacted our local senator, Edie McClafferty, and representative, Kirk Wagoner. Senator McClafferty responded and happily met with us and answered our questions.
ReACT is an anti-tobacco after school group that gives kids the opportunity to learn about the effects of tobacco and learn how we can stand up against it. We do our best to inform the community about the negative affects of tobacco and how they can prevent it. Celebration on the Hill was an opportunity for tobacco prevention groups from schools all over Mon- tana to come together, learn, and share.
Throughout the day, we went to four workshops teaching us things from how to talk to legislators to tobacco’s advertising techniques. It was an amazing opportunity to expand our knowledge. At the end of the workshops, all of the students had the opportunity to talk to Montana senators or representatives over lunch, using what we had learned. Our group even had the opportunity to personally meet with Senator Edie McClafferty and talk with her about laws against tobacco products.
It was an amazing opportunity that we can hopefully be a part of for years to come. Our reACT crew includes Abbie Youde, Grace Alexander, Saraliba Auch, Emma Brown, Bobbie Jo Sutherlin, and Kiah Coster. Our adult leader is Rochelle Hesford.
