Tobacco grant makes difference in Katahdin area

Editor’s Note: Student Union is written by students at Hampden Academy, Brewer High School, Old Town High School and Schenck High School in East Millinocket. The weekly column is a joint effort among the schools, the Bangor Daily News and Acadia Hospital. This week’s column was written by Hampden Academy students. Their adviser is Felicia Folland.

In 2001, Millinocket Regional Hospital applied for a grant from the $7.69 million allocated for community- and school-based grants. The Millinocket school system and Union 113 (East Millinocket, Medway and Woodville) supported this application. From this portion budgeted for grants, the Millinocket Regional Hospital received a $300,000 grant for 18 months. Both school districts also are benefiting from the funds received through the grant.

The Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine grant has three components. The first is to decrease tobacco use, the second is to encourage physical activity, and the third is to promote good nutrition and healthful eating. Numerous activities to address these issues are being implemented locally in the communities and schools.

Jane McGillicuddy, in her duties as project director for the Katahdin Area Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine, has organized the Katahdin Area Partnership Coalition. This group is made up of representatives from the hospital, area businesses, the recreation departments of the communities, and the school health coordinators for the two school departments.

A statewide program benefiting from the settlement funds is called the Youth Advocacy Program. Youth from around the state have attended weekend training programs at Camp Kieve in Nobleboro. They were trained in team building, leadership development and tobacco prevention, and have since had further training in these areas. Locally, the students participating in this program have chosen the slogan “KAP on Tobacco.” The program includes middle school and high school age students in Millinocket, East Millinocket, Medway and Woodville. The group has weekly meetings to discuss smoking prevention and different ways to reach teen-age smokers. They have done radio ads and posters on the dangers of tobacco use.

Additional programs in the schools have included summer hiking and canoeing trips, after-school activities such as cross-country skiing, sledding, cooking and volleyball. Students are being surveyed to determine other activities that might be offered.

Other school-related components of the grant have to do with the development of a comprehensive school health program. A school health advisory council has been established that represents components such as comprehensive school health education, physical activity, nutritional services, health promotion, wellness and parent involvement.

Since the awarding of the Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine grant, the tobacco policies in all schools have been looked at and revised. Signs have been put up on the doors to the schools indicating that the entire property is tobacco-free, which means that anyone who would like to smoke must leave the property, a change from previous years.

As with all starting programs, there have been some misunderstandings about the guidelines that go with the grant as well as thoughts on how to improve it. One such problem is that the grant doesn’t allow a lot of money to be used toward the purchase of equipment. Says Greg Friel, Schenck High School physical education teacher and an initial person involved with the grant, “I was encouraged to take students on trips and develop activities, yet I was told I could not use any funds for equipment. You can imagine how hard it is to take kids on kayaking and skiing trips and not be provided with kayaks or skis.” Friel would like to see more funds allocated to the purchase of equipment to increase the sustainability of the program.

It’s important to note that at the end of the 18 months the Katahdin Area Partnership Coalition can re-apply for the grant. As a part of the reapplication process, the coalition, in conjunction with Millinocket Regional Hospital, will evaluate the current program, determine the needs for 2002-03, and submit a new work plan.

Although the first year of the grant has been a learning experience for all involved, everything that was supposed to be accomplished as a result of this grant is being accomplished. Many positive changes have taken place as a result of the grant. New programs have been started and everyone has become more tobacco-conscious. And the good news is that it can only get better from here.