Newsroom: Press Releases
Lautenberg Congratulates Westfield Fifth
Grader on Winning Tar Wars Poster Contest
Lautenberg Meets National Finalist from New
Jersey
Lautenberg Press Office 202-224-3224
Monday, July 18,
2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) met this week with Meghan Johnson, a fifth grade student at Franklin Elementary School in Westfield, whose poster, “Blowing Notes, Not Smoke,” won the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians Tar Wars Poster Contest. Her poster was chosen from submissions of fourth and fifth graders from across the state.
A photo of Senator Lautenberg and Meghan is available here: http://lautenberg.senate.gov/assets/tarwars.jpg
“Raising awareness about the dangers of smoking, especially among young Americans, is critically important,” Senator Lautenberg said. “The Tar Wars program teaches elementary school students to make healthy decisions and this annual poster contest allows them to share the message with their creativity and thoughtful art work. Meghan’s poster is excellent and it was a pleasure to meet her.”
Tar Wars is a nationwide tobacco-free education program for fourth and fifth grade students, organized by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Qualified volunteers, including family physicians and medical students, give curriculum-based, anti-tobacco presentations at local schools, highlighting health concerns and the prevalence of smoking in movies and advertisements.
The program culminates in a local poster contest at each participating school where one winner is chosen to compete in a statewide contest. Three New Jersey finalists were chosen in Trenton, where Meghan won and earned a trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the national finals.
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