Pictured Left to Right: Sumner County Health Committee Chair, Ashley Berry; SCS Safe Schools Supervisor, Jerrica Mayo; BHS Senior, Nahzah Blair; BHS Senior, Ella Paligo; BHS Senior, Niya Angelova; Sumner County Health Committee Co-Chair, Jaime Muncy.
Beech High School Students Receive Health Leadership Award
Sumner County Schools is pleased to announce that Beech High School Seniors Ella Paligo, Hadley Brown, Nahzah Blair, and Niya Angelova have been awarded the 2022 Sumner County Health Leadership Award by the Sumner County Health Committee. These students spearheaded an anti-vaping campaign to educate their classmates about the dangers of vaping. They created a “Be a Hero, Drop Vaping to Zero” campaign and convinced 700 of their peers – as well as U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and other elected officials to pledge to remain vape-free.
In addition to their community work, they presented a universal substance abuse policy – with a focus on vaping – to the Sumner County Board of Education, which adopted the policy, and convinced the Governor to declare March as Anti-Vaping Month. As a result of their relentless efforts, they gained the sponsorship of America’s largest health insurer, United Healthcare, and their local Sumner Prevention Coalition. All four students are state representatives for the Tennessee Stop Tobacco and Revolutionize Our New Generation (TNSTRONG) Ambassador Program.
"When these students set their mind to something, they accomplish it," Sumner County Schools Safe Schools Supervisor, Jerrica Mayo said. "It's an honor and a privilege to watch as they have stood up to the tobacco industry and persuaded elected officials to take action to safeguard teens against the dangers of vaping. I can't wait to see what the future holds for these outstanding leaders."
All four students were recognized as the 2022 Group Youth Advocates of the Year in Washington D.C. by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. #SumnerAchieves #SumnerCountyStrong