By: Sarah Hogan, Tobacco Free Baltimore 

On March 30, 2017, the Baltimore City Health Department’s (BCHD) Tobacco Free Baltimore Program (TFB) will partner with the Mount Royal Elementary School to host Kick Butts Day (KBD), a local initiative of the national event, which is held every March. Kick Butts Day empowers youth to raise awareness about tobacco use and reject the influence of tobacco advertising. In Baltimore, the event is in its second year.

In Baltimore, chaperones will guide 50 fifth and sixth graders in traveling pre-designated routes to collect as many cigarette butts as possible, to bring awareness to the smoking habit in Baltimore. By participating in the event, Baltimore City students advocate to the community against the influence of Big Tobacco, in solidarity with over 1,000 other national and global Kick Butts Day events by local organizers.

As part of Baltimore’s event, students will supplement the traditional Butt Pick-Up activity with a “Tobacco Ad Finder” scavenger hunt in the neighborhood. Students will capture tobacco advertising on the outside of neighborhood stores, captioning the photos with their own observations.

This interactive exercise will encourage students to think critically and creatively about the scene of their neighborhoods, illuminating areas where tobacco advertising targets their communities. To bring attention to healthy corner stores, designated students will also seek out healthy food advertisements. BCHD TFB will hold a debrief discussion with students about their learning experiences surrounding the neighborhood and tobacco, after the event.

Leading up to the KBD event, TFB is educating Mt. Royal students about tobacco’s effects on the body and environment, and organizing a student poster contest surrounding tobacco-related themes.  

Students will create their posters in advance of Kick Butts Day, and TFB will announce poster contest winners on the event day. One week after Kick Butts Day, BCHD-TFB will lead students in a written reflection activity around photos taken on Kick Butts Day.  

Baltimore City Health Department – Tobacco Free Baltimore

Kick Butts Day National Event Web Page