My name is Shaylee Seright. I am a student at Portales High School, and a youth advocate for 24/7. 24/7 is an Evolvement campaign that helps stop the use of tobacco products in school. For a school to be tobacco free 24/7, no one including students, staff, or visitors are allowed to use tobacco products on school campuses or at school events. Tobacco free schools are important to me because when I was younger I had family members who used tobacco products and sadly passed. I am advocating for 24/7 so that teens do not follow that same path that my family members went down. For the 24/7 campaign, I have assisted with setting up booths during school events to talk to my peers about the harmful effects of tobacco on their bodies and collected surveys to see their opinions about tobacco seen in schools. I have also participated in a principal presentation to inform the principals about tobacco in schools and help create change in schools. Schools should be 100% tobacco free because if students were to see the staff using tobacco products, they would view it as normal and most likely use these products too. Having a statewide policy against using tobacco in schools could change this and make students, staff, and parents unable to use tobacco in any school setting.

1. Blog
2. Why I Care About Tobacco-Free Schools