Easton Middle School Chapter Wins Award
EASTON — Superintendent Lisha Cabral is pleased to announce that students from Oliver Ames High School and Easton Middle School were recently recognized by the Easton School Committee for their participation in this year’s Kick Butts Day: Youth Day of Action.
The participating students were recognized by the Easton School Committee on Thursday, April 27.
The Kick Butts Day: Youth Day of Action event took place at the Massachusetts State House on March 30 as part of The 84 Movement. The 84 Movement celebrates youth voice and its role in reducing the influence of tobacco and vaping industries. Twelve students from Easton attended the event alongside approximately 175 youth and adults representing 25 chapters of The 84 Movement from across the Commonwealth.
The middle school’s Easton 97 Health and Wellness Club also received the Outstanding Chapter Award from The 84 Movement at the event. The award recognizes consistent dedication and passion to youth tobacco prevention and amplifying youth voice. The club was recognized for its work engaging students using an upstream and positive community norms approach via education, entertainment and action, as well as addressing mental health concerns as a risk factor for nicotine use. As part of this work, the club collaborates with, is supported by and engages other community groups, including the Easton Recreation Department, YMCA, Easton Wings of Hope, Raising Multicultural Kids, and Sarah’s Village.
During the event, students met and heard from numerous state representatives, senators and their staff, and discussed youth tobacco use and the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes. The students emphasized what they are seeing in their communities, youth mental health challenges, and the root causes of health inequities. They also offered to assist their representatives with research and education efforts to prevent youth substance use. The youth attendees were applauded for their dedication to promoting healthy choices among their peers and for sharing with legislators what they see and experience every day in their communities.
The students also received a proclamation and tour of the Senate chamber from Sen. Walter Timilty, and a proclamation from the House of Representatives and Rep. Gerard Cassidy.
The event’s afternoon program included remarks from Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh and Department of Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke.
“We’re so proud of our students and all of their hard work to make our community a better, healthier place for their peers and the students who come after them,” said Superintendent Cabral. “I’d also like to congratulate the Easton 97 Health and Wellness Club on their Outstanding Chapter Award. We’re pleased to see them recognized for their work speaking up and raising awareness for teen health and wellness. All of these students are outstanding role models and changemakers for our community. I also greatly appreciate staff advisers Eileen Gardner, Kelly Reed from Easton Wings of Hope, Corrine McCarthy and Danielle Erikson. Without their dedicated attention to this topic and our students, this opportunity would not have been available.”
