More than 100 middle and high school students from across eight counties in Northern Kentucky are participating in a regional youth summit on vaping and tobacco prevention next week.
The Northern Kentucky Regional Youth Summit is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Student Union Ballroom on NKU’s campus.
Students will experience breakout sessions, Mega Lung tour exhibits, near-peer advocacy, leadership skill building, a scavenger hunt focused on the prevention of vaping/tobacco use, and mental health awareness.
This regional summit, which hopes to reduce Kentucky’s smoking rate of 24% for adults and 26.1% for high schoolers, originated from a collaborative project between the Kentucky Cancer Program District Cancer Council and WellCare of Kentucky’s Community Impact Council after current cancer risk factors and poor lung health outcomes were presented for the region and state.
 Over 45 community partners and organizations have come together offering their support, expertise, and funding to allow this educational event to occur. Student participants will also participate in a school leadership project initiated through their summit day experience and supported by this committee.
For more information, email Thom Whittinghill at WellCareMediaRelations@wellcare.com.