Youth in Greendale and Franklin Make a Difference

October 22nd is the largest national day of community service, Make a Difference Day! As members of FACT, Wisconsin’s youth tobacco prevention movement, our local groups are excited to spread the truth about tobacco and make a difference in our community by picking up cigarette butts and trash around Greendale and Franklin in October. But that’s not all, our FACT groups strive to make a difference throughout the year.

The Greendale and Franklin FACT groups have led many programs in our schools and community to educate our peers about the harmful effects of tobacco and encourage them to make healthy choices. We also help keep our communities tobacco free by picking up cigarette butts in parks and congratulating businesses that no longer sell tobacco, like CVS. On September 20th, we met with Representative Skowronski and Representative Craig to share the FACT message and the prevention work we are doing. Yaminah Powell, Greendale sophomore, said “It was really interesting meeting the legislators and realizing they are just as interested in tobacco prevention amongst youth as us.”

Meeting with legislators like Skowronski and Craig help make a difference by supporting policies that encourage a tobacco-free Wisconsin and encourage youth to never try tobacco – even as sweet and flavorful as some of tobacco’s deceiving packaging may try to entice us with.

Hali Henges, Franklin freshman, said that tobacco prevention is important to her because some of her family members use tobacco and she wants learn how to encourage them to quit so they can lead a healthier lifestyle, in addition to never using tobacco herself. Chris Taylor-Hintz, Franklin sophomore, adds that the activities we do in FACT are also fun!

“Being involved in FACT is a good way to advocate for what I believe in” said Anna Abadsantos, Greendale senior. Yaminah agrees that “some people think only adults can make change, but FACT allows us [youth] to have a voice too. By educating our peers about the harms of tobacco, we’re helping Wisconsin’s teens get one step closer to becoming a tobacco free generation. We’re closer than ever to living in a world without tobacco-related diseases, and to us, that’s a difference worth making."

FACT is part of the Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Control Program and is managed by the American Lung Association in Wisconsin. For more information on the FACT Movement, please visit FACTmovement.org.

Anna Abadsantos & Yaminah Powell
Greendale FACT

Hali Henges
Franklin FACT