4-U-N-I Teen Quit Smoking Club at YOUR School

4-U-N-I is a Quit Tobacco collaborative, founded by BREATHE LA and Beverly Hills High student leaders. It is BREATHE LA’s Youth Cessation Initiative, and we are offering the chapter to other schools beginning August, 2008.

Mission: 4-U-N-I members and teacher club-sponsors are dedicated to being the groundbreaking force in L.A. County to help our County reach the 2010 USA National Quit Goal: “Reduce illness, disability, and death related to tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke”

Vision: To have multi-cultural youth throughout our County be the voice of teen tobacco use prevention, and mentors supporting teen cessation resulting in a tobacco free youth population.

4-U-N-I: Start a Club at Your School

This year BREATHE LA is seeking to expand the 4-U-N-I program with various high schools and community service agencies. We are pleased to announce that we will be collaborating with UCLA’s Adolescent Smoking Cessation Project (CSC) to further hone the skills of our Youth “quit buddies/mentors.”

UCLA’s project operates under the direction of Dr. Shoptaw, BREATHE LA’s out of its Center for Healthy Lungs. Recruiting new schools to form clubs, training youth “quit buddies,” and hosting a May 30, 2009 Youth Text to Quit Tobacco Summit are our top priorities.

To successfully reach the 2010 goals and create county-wide momentum, 4-U-N-I needs to recruit at least 50 students total from various schools with at least 3-5 students serving as core members (a Quit Buddy/Mentor, Media Outreach, and Special Events representative for each school).

Benefits to Schools and Students collaborating with BREATHE LA to start a 4-U-N-I club:

A. Community Service hours are awarded/earned

B. Students experience leadership, peer mentoring & marketing skills

C. Students have frequent public relations opportunities, speaking with media about a club’s success. BREATHE LA arranges the media; the school is not saddled with this.

D. BREATHE LA brings experts to dialogue with students and offers creative opportunities, such as making PSA’s, and/or receiving training from University researchers.

To begin a 4-U-N-I club at your school, contact us or call 323-935-8050 ext. 252

In 2008 4-U-N-I members had their quit smoking PSA’s featured at Body Worlds Exhibit at the California Science Center in Exposition Park. Be a part of our 2008-2009 success!