The first section will discuss the consequences and dangers of e-cigarette use, the second section will emphasize making good choices, the third section focuses on advertising tactics and talking points of e-cigarette companies and the fourth section discusses refusal skills to avoid being pressured into e-cigarette use. Both middle and high school health classes will discuss the same material and teach the same program. Specifically for the CHS program, teacher-selected peers will help teach the lessons in their classes. Ramona Rice, supervisor of learning at CCS, said she believes the recent spike in e-cigarette use among teens at CHS was a key factor in deciding to fully implement the new program.

“We have a lot of concerns in the district, as many people do, about the vaping and e-cigarette use of our students. After speaking with the community we decided to implement a vaping prevention program in both the middle school and high school health programs,” Rice said.

Kim TenBrink, physical education department head, said she agrees about the need to take action.

“We’ve had multiple discussions with student services and they’ve definitely been seeing an increase in vaping, and it’s actually recently been called an epidemic, so it’s obviously a problem. I think the more that kids are educated, the better decisions they will make,” TenBrink said.

Lleyton Lukowski, health student and freshman, said he also believes the program will have a positive impact on student health.

“It would really help educate people on how it can negatively affect your health and hurt your lungs and respiratory system,” Lukowski said.