Student Receives National Award in Tar Wars Poster Contest

WASHINGTON - Miranda Lee Raynes, a fifth-grader from New Martinsville, W. Va., was named the 2005 Tar Wars national poster contest winner at a ceremony in Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday, July 19. As the national poster contest winner, Raynes receives a family trip to Disney World worth up to $3,000.

Tar Wars is a tobacco-free education program that discourages tobacco use among the country’s youth. The program, which was established in 1988, is administered by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

In addition to Raynes, three runners-up, seven honorable mentions and the state winners were recognized at the awards ceremony. All state winners in attendance at the awards ceremony received a price packet and a savings bond.

Runners-up:
Second place: Allison Lynch, Shakopee, Minn.
Third place: Jessica Shenoi, Tulsa, Okla.
Fourth place: Brandon Arakaki, Waikoloa, Hawaii

Honorable Mentions:
Fifth place: Holly Pittard, Pompano Beach, Fla.
Sixth place: Nicole Patton, Barrington, R.I.
Seventh place: Patrick Blackert, Mineral, Ill.
Eight place: Jessica Madden, Georgia, Vt.
Ninth place: Hannah Wheeler, Des Moines, Iowa
Tenth place (tie): Annie Kruger, Washington, D.C.
Tenth place (tie): Christina McCann, Eleva, Wis.

The winning posters were chosen from 41 entries, all winners of state Tar Wars poster contests. Posters were judged on their artistry, creativity, originality and their ability to communicate a clear and positive message about being tobacco-free.

Thousands of family physicians and health care professionals across the country present Tar Wars programs to fourth- and fifth-graders in their local schools every year. They discuss not only the long-term effects of smoking on the body, but also focus on the short-term, image-based effects of tobacco use.

Counteracting the messages created in tobacco advertising, health care professionals talk with youth about how tobacco makes one’s breath smell and how smoking can impair one’s ability to be active and play sports. The students also learn about practical issues, such as how much it costs to use tobacco for a week, a month, a year and over a lifetime.

The follow-up Tar Wars poster contest encourages children to create posters that emphasize the positive aspects of not using tobacco.

Tar Wars was developed in 1988 by the Hall of Life at the Denver Museum of Natural History and Doctors Ought to Care. The AAFP has overseen the program since 1997. The program has been implemented in all 50 states, several territories and internationally, and it has reached more than 7 million children.

Digital images of the first-place, runner-up and honorable mention posters can be downloaded from www.tarwars.org. Poster artwork is also displayed in schools and is reproduced on promotional items available at www.tarwars.org.