Students “Kick Butts” with Anti-Vape Memes

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PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured from left to right at Owen J Roberts Middle School: Dylan Woodgate (3^rd Place), Zach Evans (1^st Place) and Jacob Evans (Honorable Mention). Pictured at Fred S. Engle Middle School: Mathea Dunn (2^nd Place).

WEST CHESTER, PA – The Chester County Tobacco-Free Coalition and the Chester County Health Department recently selected three middle school students as winners in the annual Kick Butts Day Meme Contest. Students were recognized during the school day on Thursday, April 5 and Monday, April 9, 2018.

Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism that empowers youth to stand out, speak up and seize control against Big Tobacco. In recognition of this event, the Chester County Tobacco-Free Coalition challenged Chester County middle school students to participate in a contest to create anti-vaping memes, which are typically humorous, captioned photographs shared on web and social media.

The Coalition received over 200 contest entries. The 2018 finalists are youth advocates from Fred S. Engle Middle School (West Grove) and Owen J. Roberts Middle School (South Coventry). Each contest winner created a compelling meme appropriate for an adolescent audience, where vape initiation remains at peak. Entries were judged by members of the Chester County Tobacco-Free Coalition. The winners received gift cards and certificates of recognition; the winning schools received posters of their students’ winning meme to be displayed at school.

Contest winners:

1^st Place: Zach Evans, Owen J. Roberts Middle School, Grade 7
2^nd Place: Mathea Dunn, Fred S. Engle Middle School, Grade 7
3^rd Place: Dylan Woodgate, Owen J. Roberts Middle School, Grade 7

Honorable mention:

Amelia Clark, Fred S. Engle Middle School, Grade 7
Jacob Evans, Owen J. Roberts Middle School, Grade 8
Heidi Huffman, Patton Middle School, Grade 8
Abigail Weer, Fred S. Engle Middle School, Grade 7

This initiative is sponsored by the Chester County Health Department and the Chester County Tobacco-Free Coalition (CCTFC). CCTFC’s mission is to improve the health and quality of life for all Chester County residents by empowering youth and adults to live nicotine-free. For more information, visit www.chesco.org/cctfc or call 610-344-5209.