Two Sarasota County high school students win first and second place in national contest 

OSPREY, FL – Two Sarasota County high school students, who are members of Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT), won the “Don’t Get Burned” social media contest, which aimed to educate peers about the dangers of tobacco.

Evianna Gianoplus and Jonah Mundy, 10th grade students at Pine View High School in Sarasota County, received first and second place, respectively, in the 13- to-17-year-old category.

The “Don’t Get Burned” contest organizers, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Department of Public Health, encouraged participants from across the country to join the fight against Big Tobacco by creating short videos to share on social media. Youth and young adults ages 9 to 24 were asked to choose one of the following topics: Candy Flavored Poison; Burned by Menthol-Flavored Cigarettes; or A Push for Policy.

Gianoplus, the first place winner who chose Candy Flavored Poison, said: “We wanted to show trick-or-treaters being tricked by large tobacco companies with candy flavored tobacco instead of the traditional candy people give to kids. I have a big passion to work against big tobacco companies, and this was a big motivation for why we included that in the video.”

Mundy, the second place winner who chose to focus on the pressures youth face from tobacco companies said, “I made the video to show how tobacco companies, as well as peers, can pressure youth into tobacco use. I came up with the push-back theme to show how if everyone works together, we can stop youth smoking and curb tobacco use completely.”

Both students are members of SWAT, which aims to empower, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against Big Tobacco. SWAT is a movement of empowered youth working together to de-glamorize tobacco use. Their efforts aim to shape tobacco-free norms, make tobacco less desirable, less acceptable and less accessible.

Videos were judged based on originality, appropriateness, accuracy, quality, and incorporation of the chosen topic and message. First place winners received $500, while second place winners received $300. Both received gear from co-sponsors and a certificate from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel along with their cash prizes.

ABOUT TOBACCO FREE FLORIDA

The Department’s Tobacco Free Florida campaign is a statewide cessation and prevention campaign funded by Florida’s tobacco settlement fund. Tobacco users interested in quitting are encouraged to use one of the state’s three ways to quit. Since 2007, more than 126,140 Floridians have successfully quit, using one of these free services. To learn more about Tobacco Free Florida and the state’s free quit resources, visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com or follow the campaign on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TobaccoFreeFlorida or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tobaccofreefla.

The Department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. During 2014, the Department is recognizing 125 years of public health in Florida with educational opportunities and events. Please visit www.FLHealth125.gov for more information.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook.  For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.floridahealth.gov.

Local information:  Sarasota County Tobacco Prevention Program.  To learn ways to get involved, please call 941-861-2805.

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Sarasota County prohibits discrimination in all services, programs or activities.  View the complete policy at www.scgov.net/ADA/Pages/default.aspx

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MEDIA NOTES:

All contest winners can be found on the main page at www.dontgetburnedchicago.com Here are the links for the individual Sarasota County winners: 1st Place-Don’t Trick Us: http://vimeo.com/115579163 2nd Place-Push Back: http://vimeo.com/115579538

DOH-Sarasota Media Contact: Dianne Shipley, 941-861-2852; cell 941-302-1058; DOHSarasotaNews@FLHealth.gov Website: www.sarasotahealth.org