Maine Youth Action Network

Annual Maine Youth Anti-Tobacco Summit--Stop. Quit. RESIST!

Dr. DeNoble Shows Audience a Brain Affected by Tobacco
2007 Keynote Speaker Dr. Victor DeNoble
Shows Participants a Brain Affected By Tobacco

The Stop. Quit. Resist! Maine Youth Anti-Tobacco Summit is an annual event that focuses on trying to:

  • STOP tobacco companies' lies and manipulation,
  • help people QUIT smoking and/or support others who want to quit smoking, and
  • to RESIST the pressure to smoke and help your peers resist it, too! 

This two day long event is absolutely FREE and mobilizes youth from grades 7-12 from across Maine to come together with adult activists to fight the battle against tobacco. Attendees take part in various workshops and activities to help them gain information, resources, skills and connections to fight tobacco in their communities and homes. Each year's event is planned MYAN in collaboration with a dedicated Youth Planning Team (YPT). This event is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Partnership For A Tobacco-Free Maine.

Who can attend?

  • The Summit is open to youth in grades 7-12 and their adult supporters.
  • Each group may register up to 12 youth and 2 adults. Groups must maintain a ratio of 6 youth:1 adult for middle school students, and 8 youth:1 adult for high school students.

5th Annual Summit (2009)

Save the date! The 5th Annual Maine Youth Anti-Tobacco Summit will take place April 30th & May 1st at the Augusta Civic Center.

 

4th Annual Summit (2008)
Monday, April 7th & Tuesday, April 8th at the Augusta Civic Center.


3rd Annual Summit (2007)
April 26th & 27th at the Augusta Civic Center.
Lodging at the Civic Center Holiday Inn. 

2007 Summit brochure (prints on legal)

2007 Event Highlights

This year's event was a great success!

  • 175 youth, staff, volunteers, presenters and advisors attended the event, including 48 middle school students, 68 high school students, and 2 college students.

  • 99% of youth attendees and 95% of adult attendees reported that they feel more prepared to create positive change in their communities after the Summit.

  • 100% of adult attendees agree that their participation in this event will help them advocate and educate on anti-tobacco issues

Youth Planning Team
THANK YOU to the 2007 Summit Youth Planning Team for all of their hard work, energy & talents. The YPT was involved with planning and running every aspect of the event, from workshops to decorations. Click here to find out more about Youth Planning Teams at MYAN.

2007 Summit Youth Planning Team 

Megan Arsenault—Rumford

 

Rosie Buckmore—Gardiner

 

Jabon Chubbuck—Nobleboro

 

Tay Libby—Brewer

 

Noah Rush-Mabry—Fort Fairfield

 

Kailley VanLeeuwen—Madison

 

TJ Williams—Rumford

Keynote Speaker: Victor DeNoble, former Phillip Morris Exec!
THANK YOU to Victor DeNoble, tobacco industry whistle-blower and passionate anti-tobacco educator, who offered an insider's perspective on Big Tobacco. Dr. DeNoble's presentation and workshops were a highlight of the event for participants. Read more about Victor DeNoble at http://www.victordenoble.com/.

Workshops
This year's Summit featured dynamic workshops about anti-tobacco advocacy, getting your message out, youth & adult partnership, how to quit, and ways to educate your peers & community! THANK YOU to all this year's presenters!

Charity Fundraiser
This year's Youth Planning Team decided to hold a fundraiser for Ignite Oxford County, Maine's first, and currently only, Ignite chapter. Ignite empowers the youth of America to hold the tobacco industry accountable at every level by directing public officials to act responsibly. Ignite engages in local and statewide advocacy for tobacco policy change, pressures politicians to reject campaign contributions from tobacco companies and their interests, informs voters of tobacco issues in key elections, and coordinates national political efforts.

Through a 50/50 raffle and a Wall of Change, the YPT and other volunteers raised $102.16 for Ignite Oxford County!

2nd Annual Summit (2006)

The Second Annual Maine Youth Action Network's Anti-Tobacco Summit was held on April 13th and 14th in Bar Harbor.  Sponsored by Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine (PTM), approximately 100 youth (grades 8-12) from around the state gathered to gain resources and information on tobacco issues, Big Tobacco, and ways to prevent tobacco use in their communities. 

The Youth Planning Team coordinated all aspects of the Summit, everything from food, to location, to workshops. Thank you to the Ellsworth High School Student Health Awareness group (SHAG), and youth from the Sanford Leaders Club, from the Platform Players and from Scarborough High School who made the journey to Bangor once every three weeks to plan and create the Summit. 

2006 Summit Workshops included

  1. Teaching Tobacco – Session 1: Presented by FKES YAP in Action Session and Session 2: Presented by Rumford SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) – New to the anti-tobacco cause, or looking for creative ways to raise community awareness?  Learn successful activities along with tips for working in groups.  Participants gained skills and information to strengthen their groups AND their own anti-tobacco message.  The groups who presented have BEEN THERE, DONE THAT and were there to share their expertise with everyone!
  2. Creative Countermarketing – Presented by CD&M Communications – Create powerful media messages and tools to help youth all across Maine RESIST tobacco.  This was an interactive learning experience!
  3. Advocacy – Presented by Kate Simmons, Consultant – Tobacco companies know the legislative process inside and out…and use it to their advantage at every turn.  When we empower ourselves with the same knowledge, we can beat the tobacco industry at their own game!  Participants came to learn what advocacy in action can do in the fight against tobacco.  
  4. Youth Activism – Presented by Patrick Murtagh, American Legacy Foundation with special guest Peter Royal of Ellsworth High School S.H.A.G. – What youth can do to fight big tobacco and how to create activism with limited resources. 
  5. The Big Picture – Presented by Courtney Otto and Brice Acee, IGNITE Dartmouth – Taking on Big Tobacco at the national level, taking on tobacco in the political world.  
  6. Ready to Quit? -  Presented by Fred Wolff, Center for Tobacco Independence; Carol Coles, Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine, and local youth – Often, teens that use tobacco feel shamed, blamed and discriminated against. In this workshop, they worked together to break through the negativity and came up with ideas that can be truly helpful for teens wishing to quit the use of tobacco.