Prevention Videos

How Cool is That? – Smoking Informational Video

This fast-paced engaging 30-minute documentary explores why students begin smoking and how high school smokers and non-smokers feel about smoking.

The video, targeting middle school students, was made by five Weymouth High School students in 2002-2003. The team was led by Dr. Wayne LaMorte, a professor at Boston University School of Public Health, Emily Williams and Illysa Hollander MPH students at BU School of Public Health, and Kathy Lavery, a Health Educator in Weymouth Public Schools.

The script was written and narrated by the high school team and was edited by a 21-year old student who was working part-time for WETC, the local educational cable TV station in Weymouth, MA.

The key features of this fast-paced, engaging video, focuses on issues that really matter to teenagers: being attractive, athletic ability, fitting in, being independent, etc. It also avoids preaching, and lets high school students tell their own stories.

One year later, Dr. LaMorte and five MPH students trained a group of 39 Weymouth High School students about smoking issues and how to lead small group discussions.

The Student Team presented the video at an assembly of 6th grade students at both Weymouth Middle Schools.

After viewing the video, the high school students led small group discussions with middle school students including personal decisions about smoking. This phase of the initial project was highly successful. Not only was the video a big hit with the six-graders, they thoroughly enjoyed the discussions with the high school students. How cool is that?

Variations on this model continue to be used in Weymouth, largely through the efforts of Marilyn Frano, Valerie Sullivan, and Richard Marino in the Weymouth Health Department.

In April 2008, the Weymouth Substance Abuse Prevention Team’s Teen Advisory Group, under the direction of Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator Lyn Frano and Health Educators Kathy Lavery and Kathy Olsson led a sixth grade assembly using the video through a “Taking On Tobacco” mini grant from the Medical Foundation.

The Substance Abuse Prevention Team and the Weymouth Public Schools will continue to use the video in grade six.

To view The “How Cool Is That video is available online above. Viewers must have the Flash Player installed.

Just Think About it – Alcohol and Driving Video

This ten-minute Flash video sends a powerful message to teens about the potential long-lasting consequences of drinking and driving.

In 2008, a team of Weymouth High Students scripted the video. The student team was led by Dr. Wayne LaMorte, professor at Boston University School of Public Health, Penny Boczanowski, Health Educator at Weymouth High School, and Valerie Sullivan, the Community Health Program Coordinator in the Weymouth Health Department.

This video is available online above . Viewers must have the Flash Player installed.