2016 Tobacco-Free Contest Winners for Grades 4-6

 The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi’s RAT® (Reject All Tobacco) program and the Mississippi Tobacco-Free Coalition of Union, Marshall and Benton recently awarded Leslie Garcia, a 5th grader at New Albany Elementary School, as the 4th-6th grade Runner Up Winner of the 2016 RAT 4-6 Calendar Design Contest.

The 2016 RAT Calendar Design Contest was open to all Mississippi students, fourth through sixth grade. Youth were asked to create a design for a specified month to help their friends understand the dangers of tobacco. Grand Prize, Second Place and Third Place Winners as well as runner-up winners were selected from the contestants.

RAT tries to prevent Mississippi children from ever trying tobacco by teaching them at a young age about the health hazards from using tobacco. RAT is a program supported and funded through the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH). Each year, Mississippi spends $1.23 billion on healthcare costs associated with tobacco use, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The goal of the MSDH Office of Tobacco Control is to improve the health of all Mississippians through the prevention of tobacco use and the elimination of exposure to secondhand smoke.

To view the winning designs, visit www.gorat.com or check them out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RAT-Reject-All-Tobacco- 1417991681795986/ The Mississippi Tobacco-Free Coalition of Union, Benton and Marshall Counties is funded by a grant through MSDH. For more information, visit www.tobaccofreems.org or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MSTobaccoFree.

Melanie Shannon

Public Relations

New Albany Schools