There are no stupid questions.
Just frequently asked ones.
Here are a few. And their answers.

"So, what do you need me for?"
To join high school students from all over the South Bay for a new and totally innovative approach to tobacco prevention and education.

"Why?"
Because what we're trying to do is expose the truth about tobacco and become role models for younger kids to show them all the ways that the myths about "smoking making you cool" have been created. That way, we'll know the real deal and have the knowledge they need to make our own choices about tobacco.

"How?"
Over the course of a three phase program offered between now and May 2003, students will work with Bay Area theatre professionals and health educators to become Tobacco Prevention Advocates and Specialists using the theatre arts to show elementary and middle school- age students the choices they have when it comes to tobacco use.

"What's in it for me?"
Well, if you're the kind of person who naturally wants to make the world a better place and be a good role model for the little guys, then you already know what's "in it for you." You'll make new friends with people like you from around the South Bay - and probably some people who aren't like you at all, but who still want to use some of their free time to do something good for the world. You know, good ol' community service. You'll have fun. And you'll learn something, too. Oh, and participating in something like this will look great on a college app, a resume, or on next year's Christmas letter to Grandma.

"So, what's the time commitment?“
You can choose to be as involved as you'd like. Start with attending the one-day seminar and then decide whether or not to join us for Phases 2 and 3. Here's how the program generally works:

Phase 1 – The Seminar
All seminars are held from 8:30am-3:30pm. You should plan on attending the entire seminar for certification as a Tobacco Prevention Advocate. Lunch will be provided, as well as a mid-morning snack. Since you know the date of the seminar and the time commitment in advance, you should be able to make arrangements with coaches, teachers, and parents to accommodate this one-day event.

Phase 2 – Training Workshops
Eleven workshops will be scheduled outside of school during January and February 2003. Based on feedback from the Teen Task Force we plan to schedule the workshops twice weekly: one weeknight and one weekend meeting a week. These workshops will generally last three hours each on weeknights and four hours each on weekends.

A compact rehearsal schedule will be created in March to rehearse the production. These rehearsals will take place in the evenings and weekends, generally Sundays through Wednesdays.

Performances will be scheduled at elementary and middle schools in the early part of April 2003. We plan to book two performances per day at participating schools to minimize the number of days performers would need to miss school. Every effort will be made to accommodate those students with block schedules.

Phase 3 – Teens As Teachers
Beginning in May, selected students will return to the elementary and middle schools to conduct peer education workshops and evaluate their impact as tobacco prevention specialists. In order to minimize your time out of school, students returning for this phase would not necessarily need to be those who are in the production.

Finally, in mid-May, the Teens As Teachers will host a closure activity at each participating high school. Working in conjunction with community sponsors, we will perform the show five more times on the high school campuses in the evenings.

“Okay, I'm in. Now what?“
Return to the form and tell us about yourself. We'll do the rest. Still have questions? Email us at ttf@guggyent.com or call (877) 456-4849.

return to form