Students receive award for campaign to ban smoking in city parks

Students at the Afton School of the Arts are receiving awards for their campaign to ban smoking in city parks and playgrounds.

The Edmonton Tobacco Reduction Network presented former grade five and six students with Blue Ribbon Awards Thursday morning.

Last spring, students developed a campaign to lobby city officials for smoke free parks and playgrounds. They put together a presentation and proposed it to city hall. In September, city council voted in favour of drafting a bylaw to ban smoking in child-friendly areas.

Parents, students and staff gathered at Afton School to watch dozens of students accept their awards.

Jeffrey Swanson was in grade six when they put together their proposal. He says it was a presentation on the dangers of smoking and second hand smoke that inspired them to put together their presentation.

"We did a lot of planning, we wrote letters, we went door to door to getting postcards signed and then we made our powerpoint, we went to city hall and we spoke about why we were fighting for this."

He says speaking in from of city council was nerve racking, but is proud of the work they have done.

"Normally you wouldn't think that kids have power, but this was pretty empowering." adds Swanson.

The students' teacher, Ms. Lakusta, led them in their campaign and says it fit into their health curriculum and was a good way for students to learn about getting involved in their community.

"(Kids) can make a difference." adding, "They are doing things that most adults have not done so they are not only a role model for kids, but they are a role model for adults on what they can do when they get involved."

Lakusta is extremely proud of the work her students have done and says they are already natural leaders.

"To see them make a difference and feel good about themselves and know they can make change is why i'm a teacher."

The bylaw is expected to come before the Community Services Committee on March 5.