`YOU'RE A CHAMP': CLASS OF 2000 LAUDS SMOKE FREEDOM

More than 400 Cape Girardeau fourth-graders, wearing neon yellow shirts and orange caps, chanted, cheered, shouted and pledged not to smoke cigarettes for the rest of their lives.

The commotion was part of the Smoke-Free Class of 2000 rally Tuesday.

The students celebrated the completion of another year of smoke-free living on their way to the year 2000.

"If you don't smoke, you're a champion," said Donnie McClin~ton, a student from Franklin Elementary School, echoing the theme of the day.

Donnie was among students who won a contest for writing a paragraph explaining why champions don't smoke.

"When you smoke, it messes up your lungs. If you want to do sports you shouldn't smoke," he said.

Donnie's winning paragraph read: "Champions are smoke-free because they're using their head and not trying to be cool by smoking. It is very hard when you hang around people who smoke. It will be hard to be a smoke-free champion. Smoking can ruin a reputation, such as a basketball career, soccer and football. Smoking can also give you cancer or take your life."

That smoke-free message was the point of Tuesday's celebration.

University athletes, cheerleaders and dance squad members performed for the students and helped them learn cheers about remaining smoke-free.

Richard McDuffie, athletic director at Southeast Missouri State University and parent of a fourth grader, said, "The best part of my job is working with 300 champions, who are college athletes, right here in your town."

Bill Hopkins, coach of the champion Southeast gymnastic team, told students he had smoked for 25 years, more than twice as long as the students have been alive. "Probably the hardest thing I every did was to quit smoking. It's so much easier never to start."

Lauchette Low, with the Smoke-Free Class of 2000 and Vision 2000, announced a scholarship fund being established to provide financial awards to these students when they graduate from high school. The first $1,000 donation was presented by Vision 2000.

After the rally, Courtney Bradley from Jefferson School said, "I thought it was fun and exciting. I think I'll remember the screaming."

And Courtney said she would remember the underlying message.

"I know it's harmful and can kill you. I'm not going to smoke."

Alyssa Yarbrough, also from Jefferson School, agreed with her classmate. "We got to scream and cheer to get the message through say no to drugs and alcohol and cigarettes."

Lillian Dean, from Franklin School, said, "I liked watching the dancers. They're athletes and champions. People who are winners are smoke-free."

Lillian was another of the winning paragraph authors. She wrote: "Champions are smoke-free because they're smart and know what will happen if they do smoke, They know they'll get sick and die. They know it's not right or good. If you smoke, your career will go down in flames. Planning to be in pro sports and smoke? Don't bet on it. If you want to make something of yourself, don't smoke. Champions don't smoke. So be a champion, don't smoke."

Susann Whitworth from St. Mary's School, said, "I think I learned a lot today, not to take drugs or smoke. It's not good for you and it can ruin your life."

Wesley Steele, also from St. Mary's, said that winning a pizza party was certainly a highlight of the event.

St. Mary's School won a contest for the best smoke-free cheer.

"We were the loudest and we told what smoking would do to you. If you smoke, your clothes smell, your teeth turn yellow," Wesley said.

"If everybody stops doing drugs and smoking, we can all be a champion."

The Smoke-Free Class of 2000 is a national effort to curb smoking. Organizers stress that the Class of 2000 will lead the way to a smoke-free nation.

Each year this class makes a pledge to remain smoke-free and celebrates its success.

The Smoking Coalition, lung, heart and cancer societies nationwide sponsor this effort.

In Cape Girardeau, Vision 2000, St. Francis Medical Center and the SEMO Cancer Coalition are helping support the smoke-free class.