Tar Wars Program Guide and Materials
Request a Presentation/Volunteer at Your School
Tar Wars is a tobacco-free education program created in 1988 by the American Academy of Family Physicians for fourth- and fifth-grade students. The program is designed to teach kids about the short-term, image-based consequences of tobacco use, the cost associated with using tobacco products and the advertising techniques used by the tobacco industry to market their products to youth. In Georgia, the Tar Wars program is administered by the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians.
LaGrange Academy 5th Grader Wins 2009-10 Tar Wars Statewide Poster Contest
The Foundation of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians is pleased to congratulate LaGrange Academy 5th grader Macy Willis for receiving first place in the 2009-2010 statewide Georgia Tar Wars Poster competition. Posters from more than a dozen participating schools throughout Georgia were entered into the competition where students were asked to create positive "advertisements" for leading tobacco-free lives.
As Georgia's first place winner, Macy will receive a $150 cash prize, travel, and lodging for the National Tar Wars Conference and Poster Competition in Washington D.C. July 26-27, 2010. Her poster entitled "United We Breathe," depicts children from around the world joining together to live tobacco-free lives and improve the quality of the air we breathe.
LaGrange Family Physician and GAFP member Dr. Srinivas Bramhadevi presented the Tar Wars program to 4th and 5th grade students at LaGrange Academy in January 2010.
The second place poster winner was Cecilia de Baer from Eastside Elementary in Marietta and third place was awarded to Bridgette Boggs from Morningside Elementary in Atlanta.
This year marks the 22nd anniversary of Tar Wars, a tobacco-free education program sponsored in Georgia by the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) and designed to increase awareness among 4th and 5th graders of the effects of tobacco on the body. Since it was established in 1988, Tar Wars has reached more than 8 million children in 17 countries with its tobacco-free message and is administered nationally by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
For more information on the Tar Wars program or to schedule a Tar Wars presentation for your school please contact Kara Sinkule at (800) 392-3841 or ksinkule@gafp.org.
2009-2010 Another Record Breaking Year
The Georgia Tar Wars Program successfully expanded its geographical footprint statewide during the 2009-2010 school year to nearly 100 classrooms. Presentations were given by family physicians, residents, medical students, and nurses in more locations throughout the state than ever before including Augusta, Athens, Atlanta, Winder, Peachtree City, Macon, Marietta, Savannah, Columbus, LaGrange. Also schools in Barrow, Clarke, and Jackson counties received Tar Wars education. Additional presentations were also given in Rome and Savannah during “Kick Butts Day” the last week in March.
In October 2009 alone, Georgia Tar Wars presentations peaked with nearly 2,000 students in areas throughout the state during Red Ribbon Week. This year Tar Wars was also successful in utilizing the Georgia School Nurses Association as a conduit to recruit new schools throughout Georgia. The response from school nurses was so great that we have struggled to meet the demand for presentations statewide.
Training sessions have been held for medical students at Emory, Medical College of Georgia and Mercer Medical School. The statewide poster contest deadline for the 2009-2010 school year was March 30, 2010. Poster entries are arriving daily and Foundation Board Members will have the difficult task of judging the statewide contest. The first place winner will win a trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the National Tar Wars poster competition this July.
Many thanks to all the physicians, medical students, and medical professionals who donated their time and talents in schools across Georgia over the last year. If you would like to present the Tar Wars program in your child’s school or if you would like to learn more please contact Kara Sinkule at ksinkule@gafp.org. or by calling (800) 392-3841.
Tar Wars Presenters Needed
Children eagerly await these presentations in classrooms throughout our state
Do you have a child or grandchild in elementary school?
If so, why not present the Tar Wars program at their school? The Foundation of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians needs additional presenters to help spread the tobacco-free Tar Wars message to fourth- and fifth-grade students in all corners of Georgia.
Currently, we do not have enough family physicians, residents and medical students on board to present the Tar Wars program this school year to children in Georgia. Please help us spread the tobacco-free Tar Wars message to youth in your community by volunteering just half day of your time during the upcoming school year.
Presenting Tar Wars is easy – and fun. We’ll mail a Tar Wars classroom kit to your school so that everything will be there when you arrive. The kit contains all the materials and handouts you’ll need for the presentation, including free poster board and crayons to help students create posters.
To learn more about presentation training, complete the form below or contact Kara Sinkule directly at ksinkule@gafp.org or call (800) 392-3841. Simply send us the name of your chosen school along with preferred dates for you to present, and we’ll do the rest. If you don’t have a school in mind, we’ll pair you up with one in your community.
Tar Wars is a tobacco-free education program created by the American Academy of Family Physicians for fourth- and fifth-grade students. The program is designed to teach kids about the short-term, image-based consequences of tobacco use, the cost associated with using tobacco products and the advertising techniques used by the tobacco industry to market their products to youth.
______ Yes, I would like to present Tar Wars to students in my community.
Name_____________________________________
Phone_____________________________________
Email______________________________________
Fax to GAFP Office - Attn: Kara Sinkule (404) 321-7450 or email ksinkule@gafp.org.
West End Elementary 5th Grader Mackenzie Cochran Wins 2008-09 Tar Wars Georgia Poster Contest And Trip to Washington D.C.
West End Elementary School 5th grader Mackenzie Cochran of Rome received first place in the 2008-2009 statewide Georgia Tar Wars Poster competition. Posters from more than a dozen participating schools throughout Georgia were entered into the competition where students were asked to create positive "advertisements" for leading tobacco-free lives.
As Georgia's first place winner, Mackenzie received a $150 cash prize, $150 savings bond and travel and lodging for the National Tar Wars Conference and Poster Competition in Washington D.C. held July 13-14, 2009. Her poster entitled "Extinguish Smoking," depicts a firefighter extinguishing flames caused by cigarettes and provides suggestions for children to stay active and healthy. Mackenzie's poster received a certificate of recognition in the national Tar Wars poster competition.
A team of physicians and medical residents from Floyd Medical Center, led by Dr. Saria Carter Saccocio, presented the Tar Wars program to 4th and 5th grade students at West End Elementary and several other elementary schools in the Rome area last Fall. In addition, Dr. Saccocio also presented the program to a group of students at the Georgia School for the Deaf in Cave Spring, Ga.
This year marks the 21st anniversary of Tar Wars, a tobacco-free education program sponsored in Georgia by the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) and designed to increase awareness among 4th and 5th graders of the effects of tobacco on the body. Since it was established in 1988, Tar Wars has reached more than 8 million children in 17 countries with its tobacco-free message and is administered nationally by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Second place in the statewide poster contest went to Shequarian Pleasant of Juliette
Low Elementary in Savannah. Shelby Vogler of West End Elementary in Rome finished in third place. All finalists receive U.S. Savings bonds and a cash prize.
For more information on the Tar Wars program or to schedule a Tar Wars presentation for your school please contact Kara Sinkule at (404) 321-7445 or ksinkule@gafp.org.
Family physicians are taking a frontline approach to helping the 70 percent of 46 million U.S. smokers who say they want to quit meet their goal. The AAFP's tobacco cessation program, "Ask and Act," encourages family physicians to ASK all patients about tobacco use, then to ACT to help them quit.
To learn more, visit: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/clinical/publichealth/tobacco.html
Tar Wars More Than Doubles Numbers
The Georgia Tar Wars program more than doubled the number of participating schools throughout the state during the 2008-2009 school year. Presentations were given by family physicians, residents and medical students in 18 schools. The following communities were reached: Augusta, Rome, Cave Spring, Athens, Macon, Savannah, Trion, Gwinnett County and City of Atlanta. Last year eight schools throughout the state participated in the Tar Wars program.
The statewide poster contest deadline for the 2008-09 school year was March 30, 2009. Georgia’s statewide poster winner will travel to the National Tar Wars Conference July 13- 14, 2009 in Washington, DC to represent Georgia in the national competition.
Thanks to all who donated their time to present the program and help keep Georgia youth tobacco free. Presentations are being scheduled now for the Spring and Fall 2009. Contact Kara Sinkule at ksinkule@gafp.org or call (404) 321-7445 to learn how you can present Tar Wars in your area.
Are you ready to join in the fight against tobacco?
Become a Tar Wars Presenter Today!
State Poster Contest: All fourth and fifth graders are eligible to participate in the state poster contest. Posters must be original and emphasize the positive aspects of not smoking. Georgia is proud to have had national winners in the top ten finalists for two consecutive years.
Deadline for the GA State Poster contest - March 30, 2010
The deadline for the Georgia poster contest is March 30, 2009. Posters must arrive in the Foundation of GAFP office by that date. State entries will be judged in mid to late April. Winners will be notified in the beginning of May.
Request a Presentation/Volunteer at Your School
Tar Wars Program Guide and Materials
Questions? Call GA Tar Wars Coordinator Kara Sinkule at 1-800-392-3841.
Note: All posters submitted becomes the property of the Foundation of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians.
Foundation of GAFP
Attn: Tar Wars Poster Contest,
Northlake Commons,
3760 LaVista Rd., Suite 100
Tucker, GA 30084