We decorated a very large Bulletin Board in the front of school the month of May. The Builtin Board showcases FACT and how to get involved with FYI get next so that incoming 7th grade students can learn about our group.
Custom FACTivism: Big Deal Wheel
We spent time at the Middle School Lock In playing the Big Deal Wheel - a wheel that when the spinner landed on FACT and FYI, students had to answer a question about how to join our group, when the meetings are, what FYI stood for, and other questions from the FACT quiz. 100 middle school students played this game and earned a cookie to decorate when they got the answer correct. We also played giant Jenga which was a ton of fun! Each jegna piece had a question about tobacco, alcohol, or prescription drugs that the student had to answer - each correct answer won the student a prize.
Button Bonanza
At our monthly FYI meeting we made buttons to give away as prizes at the Middle School Lock In the following day. We had a lot of fun doing this and listening to music.
Custom FACTivism: JFC Oral Testimonies
Shreya and Bella attended the Joint Finance Committee hearing and gave an oral testimony about why youth tobacco prevention is important. They spoke with the Menomonee Falls FACT group. We even had a chance to meet up with the Milwaukee and Kenosha FACT groups. They also made FACT greeting cards thanking the council for listening to them speak and a fact about youth tobacco prevention.
Custom FACTivims: JFC Written Testimonies
Olivia O, Olivia B, Shreya, Bella, and Maija submitted written testimonies to the Joint Finance Committee supporting youth tobacco prevention in the 2017-2018 budget. Their letters were given to the council to review when creating the budget that funds programs like FACT, WI WINS, and other tobacco prevention programs.
Custom FACTivism: We Don't Waste Our Pot-o-Gold on Tobacco
Lexi, Lesley, Kassidy, Kylee, and Bella helped make the FACT pyramids. Mary, Vanessa, and Lexi helped during lunch on St. Paddy's Day to implement our activity. We asked students to write down on a "piece of gold" what they would spend $8 on instead of tobacco and made a huge pot of gold on the lunch room wall!
Kick Butts Day & Custom FACTivism: Pledge Wall
Olivia B, Shreya, Olivia O, Laney S, Jacob P, and Justin D promoted Kick Butts Day at the high school over lunch with a Pledge Wall to #BeTheFirst Generation to never use tobacco. We also had signs showing we are #NotAReplacement tobacco customers. 7,900 Wisconsin adults die every year from tobacco. 4,000 kids (under 18) become new daily smokers each year. Watch our video of all the photos on Facebook. Or follow us on Twitter or Instagram: @FYI_students.
FACTivism Contest and FYI-mercial (March 2 & 8)
FYI members worked to create custom FACTivisms for the contest FACT is hosting this month. Our ideas were a FACT Bare Book, Chain Text Message, FACT Challenge, and Interactive Posters. If one of our FACTivisms is chosen, our group will get to help FACT create the FACTivism and distribute to the rest of Wisconsin FACT groups! Keep your fingers crossed for us!
We also started filming things we do in FYI to make a video commercial about our group! Stay tuned for more info on that...
Custom FACTivism: Blankets (February 1 & 2)
February 13-17 is Random Acts of Kindness Week and our group made fleece blankets to donate to children living at the Hope House, a homeless shelter in our area. We then added a note that Maija helped write educating the children about the dangers of tobacco and protecting out bodies from tobacco. FYI members had a ton of fun making these and loved being able to do something nice for another person. Read about our story in MySouthNow newspaper.
Announcements for Light and Unite RED week at the Middle and High School (January 23–27)
Shreya read announcements at the High School and Ishika, Mary, and Bella read announcements at the Middle School all week with one FACT for National Drug and Alcohol Fact week. Along with the fact, students were encouraged to wear red on the Friday to support Light and Unite RED week.