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Montgomery County Anti-Vaping Campaign Announces Finalists From PSA Contest

The Campaign Called on Youth to Create Content Aimed at Educating and Preventing Their Peers From Using E-Cigarettes

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery County Public Schools, and the Healthy Montgomery Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI) are excited to share the finalists from their anti-vaping PSA video contest for students.

This contest, part of TCI’s goal to promote tobacco-free living, challenged students from 6th to 12th-grade living in Montgomery County to submit creative PSA-style videos for other young people, warning about the dangers of e-cigarettes. Ninety-two individual and group submissions were entered by 263 students and reviewed by a panel of judges for the chance to win a cash prize.

“My Story So Far”, submitted by a Damascus High School student, was awarded first place and followed by entries from the French International School, Northwood High School, Silver Creek Middle School, and Sherwood High School. Special acknowledgment was also given to Silver Creek Middle School and Mario A. Loiederman Middle School for submitting the most videos.

A logo for the campaign, inspired by the submissions of students, has been developed. The official campaign including social media graphics and messaging as well as bus ads will be launched in the coming month.

To view all the finalists’ videos or for more information and resources on the anti-vaping campaign, visit the website here.

About the Transforming Communities Initiative

The Healthy Montgomery Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI) is a partnership between the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI), Trinity Health affiliate Holy Cross Health, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, and numerous other government and community partners.  Montgomery County, Maryland is one of eight locations selected by Trinity Health for investment through their national TCI grant program.

TCI is an innovative, collaborative funding initiative established by Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation. Grant recipients, in collaboration with a community coalition(s), implement and support evidence-based and innovative policy, systems and environmental change strategies to reduce obesity, promote tobacco-free living and address social influencers of health. TCI leverages health system funding, community partnerships, local match dollars, capital loan dollars, and national technical assistance resources to improve community health.