CRHS teacher Benjamin Kelly and prinicipal Donna Godfrey. Like many rural schools, Caledonia Regional High School (CHRS) had few entertainment options during noon hour. Besides the school library or sports activities in the gym, there was little for students to do. Out of boredom, many of the older students left the school grounds and congregated at local businesses. And this was linked to another problem.
“When kids hang out with no purpose, smoking becomes the cool thing to do,” says teacher Benjamin Kelly, who knows that a lack of stimulating activities can lead teenagers to make unhealthy choices. The evidence was in the school’s high smoking rates among students.
“When kids hang out with no purpose, smoking becomes the cool thing to do,” says teacher Benjamin Kelly, who knows that a lack of stimulating activities can lead teenagers to make unhealthy choices. The evidence was in the school’s high smoking rates among students.
He saw a way to solve both problems at once by creating a fun, safe and healthy space within the school where the students could hang out during lunch hour instead of leaving the school’s grounds. “If the students can’t leave the school grounds, they obviously cannot smoke, as smoking is prohibited inside the school,” he explains.
With approval from school principal Donna Godfrey, Kelly applied for a Take Action Against Tobacco Use Grant from the Department of Social Development. This grant program provides up to $5,000 to support community-led initiatives to increase tobacco-free living, strengthen community action with an emphasis on youth-led initiatives, partnerships and comprehensive actions.
The Smart Choices Centre was launched on September 10, 2015. The room has comfortable couches, games, a music system, and an Xbox.
“We’ve also invested a bit of money into a green screen so that room can be used as a creative space during off hours,” says Kelly. “Some kids come in and use it for video and photography projects. The room has a cool atmosphere and our students just love hanging out there.”
The room is open during recess, lunchtimes and limited after school hours. Kelly volunteers 300 minutes per week to supervise the students. He says participation seems evenly split between the middle and high school students. “We’re reaching 40% of our student population; basically the percentage we used to see head outside the school’s grounds.”
With approval from school principal Donna Godfrey, Kelly applied for a Take Action Against Tobacco Use Grant from the Department of Social Development. This grant program provides up to $5,000 to support community-led initiatives to increase tobacco-free living, strengthen community action with an emphasis on youth-led initiatives, partnerships and comprehensive actions.
The Smart Choices Centre was launched on September 10, 2015. The room has comfortable couches, games, a music system, and an Xbox.
“We’ve also invested a bit of money into a green screen so that room can be used as a creative space during off hours,” says Kelly. “Some kids come in and use it for video and photography projects. The room has a cool atmosphere and our students just love hanging out there.”
The room is open during recess, lunchtimes and limited after school hours. Kelly volunteers 300 minutes per week to supervise the students. He says participation seems evenly split between the middle and high school students. “We’re reaching 40% of our student population; basically the percentage we used to see head outside the school’s grounds.”
One of the post popular additions to the room is not the Xbox entertainment system, as one might expect, but chess sets. Kelly says he often sees chess matches with 10 or so students watching. “How great is that? The students are learning, practicing their math skills, being healthy and having fun!”
To reinforce the room’s healthy choices and tobacco-free message, the local Sobey's Pharmacy provided informational brochures and resources on quitting smoking and tobacco facts for the room.
Kelly says they already need more seating in the room. “The space is built to fit 18 students. We often see 30 to 35 on any given day. We’re looking for ways to expand.”
To reinforce the room’s healthy choices and tobacco-free message, the local Sobey's Pharmacy provided informational brochures and resources on quitting smoking and tobacco facts for the room.
Kelly says they already need more seating in the room. “The space is built to fit 18 students. We often see 30 to 35 on any given day. We’re looking for ways to expand.”
| The genius behind the Smart Choices Centre is that the anti-tobacco message is understood by students without being aggressive. “It encourages smokers--or youth who might venture outside the school grounds and be exposed to peer pressure about smoking--to make a choice: go outside and smoke, or stay inside this cool room.” | “Tobacco is a gateway drug,” says Kelly. “If we can stop the students from becoming addicted to nicotine, then we are also helping to model healthy behaviours for other areas of their lives.” |
Those who choose not to smoke receive an immediate reward or advantage over those not making healthy choices. Kelly closes the door after the first half hour of the lunch period, so students who have gone outside for a smoke don’t get in. Kelly has already noticed several smokers who have become regulars in the Smart Choices Centre. The students have begun to police it themselves by making it clear to their peers that the room is anti-smoking and a healthy choice space, and Kelly is pleased to see them doing it in a kind and inclusive manner.
As long as they continue to make positive choices and be polite and considerate of each other, Kelly allows the students to take ownership of the room and how it is used. This ensures that the room remains the “in” place where everyone wants to hang out, turning peer pressure into a positive thing - reinforcing the anti-tobacco and healthy choices message.
“Tobacco is a gateway drug,” says Kelly. “If we can stop the students from becoming addicted to nicotine, then we are also helping to model healthy behaviours for other areas of their lives.”
This story was condensed, with permission, from a longer article written by Nathalie Landry, Communications Coordinator, NB Anti-Tobacco Coalition. Images were supplied courtesy of Caledonia Regional High School.
As long as they continue to make positive choices and be polite and considerate of each other, Kelly allows the students to take ownership of the room and how it is used. This ensures that the room remains the “in” place where everyone wants to hang out, turning peer pressure into a positive thing - reinforcing the anti-tobacco and healthy choices message.
“Tobacco is a gateway drug,” says Kelly. “If we can stop the students from becoming addicted to nicotine, then we are also helping to model healthy behaviours for other areas of their lives.”
This story was condensed, with permission, from a longer article written by Nathalie Landry, Communications Coordinator, NB Anti-Tobacco Coalition. Images were supplied courtesy of Caledonia Regional High School.
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