For the past couple of months, the 24/7 campaign manager, another student advocate from Evolvement named Brittany and I have been working profusely with the Mora Independent School District to adopt 24/7’s policies that help keep campuses tobacco-free 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  At last, on February 16th at the monthly board meeting, we finally got the news we had all been waiting for! Mora was ready and eager to come on board with 24/7 and become a 100% tobacco-free district! 

As a student of the district, this is incredibly meaningful to me. I moved to Mora about five years ago, and since then, I have seen the district struggle academically and athletically. I would definitely link it to the increasing usage of tobacco products.  Pre-pandemic, I would see my peers using various tobacco products, and I would always think “why?” Why are they using these harmful products? Do they know what they are setting themselves up for? The only logical reason that I could come up with is that they are doing it to fit in. Policy change is no easy thing to do, but with leaders like 24/7’s campaign manager and student efforts like Evolvement, Brittany and I were able to make a difference. From starting at the bottom with support cards, to principal meetings, and finally making our way up and presenting to the school board.

I hope, with this new policy, that we start being the excellent students and athletes Mora is known to have. Had it not been for 24/7 and Evolvement staff, along with student advocates, this would have not been achieved.

Overall, together, we created and found policies that worked, created presentations to educate the district about the problems, provided toolkits and signs at no cost. The 24/7 campaign showed me how even my single voice can make an impact. This has been a life changing experience and has taught me so many new things.  I promise you, it’s not as scary as it seems. And I encourage you, if you have not already done so, talk with the 24/7 team to help make change in your district!

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