Duanesburg honored as a tobacco-free school

April 2, 2009 - The Duanesburg Central School District was honored for its leadership in promoting a tobacco-free school environment during the first annual Community Tobacco-Free Champion Award Dinner on March 25.

The event was sponsored by the Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition, Center for Smoking Cessation at Seton Health, Reality Check and Tobacco-Free Healthy Schools—all grant-funded programs from the New York State Bureau of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control.

“We are thrilled to be recognized as a tobacco-free school,” said Duanesburg Superintendent Christine Crowley, who attended the event with High School Principal Beth DeLuke. “We believe this initiative aligns nicely with the district’s mission statement—to be a socially responsible school community.”

Last summer, the district created a comprehensive tobacco-free school policy in coordination with Capital Region BOCES, hosted a nationally known anti-smoking speaker and fostered student participation in the Great American Smokeout. The district secured a grant to educate students about the dangers of smoking through assemblies, panel discussions and other activities.

In October 2008, Rick Stoddard shared his sobering personal story with middle and high school students. Since his wife of 25 years died of lung cancer, Stoddard has been traveling across the United States talking to students about the dangers of tobacco use and the manipulative marketing tactics of the tobacco industry.

“After hearing Rick Stoddard’s message it became even more apparent how hard we must work to educate students about the dangers of smoking,” said DeLuke.

Download the tobacco-free school policy (PDF).