Wednesday, March 18, 2009 By Amanda Nanakorn [ArticleImageHyperLink] Advertising KATS Club teaches Dunsmore Elementary students about tobacco harm (March 1, 2006) -- The smell of lungs wreaked the room as the sound of “ew” echoed through the room. This was the scene as Health and Guidance teacher Judy Sanzo pulled out the cancer-stricken lung from its container. Eleven Kids Against Tobacco Smoking (KATS) members and Sanzo visited Bridget Mahoney’s 4th grade class at Dunsmore Elementary School to give a tobacco education presentation. KATS Club Education Teams’ goal is to give children a head start on the effects of drugs on the body. The presentation began with an introduction of the members and questions after which they were cut off by recess. This caused a minor disturbance as “it caught us off guard,” said sophomore Azevedo. They continued with a Power Point presentation on the overall effects of tobacco on the body. Next, the presentation was split into topics; beginning with the effects of tobacco specifically on the lungs, overall health and effects of smokeless tobacco. The presentation ended with the effects of marijuana. Such Props and visual aids were used to communicate the message that smoking is dangerous. For example, Mr. Dip Lip, a model of a mouth eroded by the effects of long-term tobacco chewing, is used to aid members in pointing out specific consequences. Mr. Gross Mouth, another model, is used to show the effects of smoking in general. Preserved lungs on loan from the American Cancer Society are also used to further implement the reality of tobacco dangers. After the presentation, members played a review game with the children, in which they were awarded treats for correct answers. However, due to timing, the presentation was cut short, and the game was removed from the schedule. KATS goes to elementary schools not only to educate but also to allow students to “establish healthier choices in life as they’re pressured by their peers,” Sanzo said. KATS is a branch of the state-sponsored tobacco use prevention education program. It not only gives students valuable knowledge but also enables students with the skills to engage an audience and successfully communicate a message.

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