Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) Superintendent Dr. M. Ann Levett (Center) recently received the inaugural Tar Wars Champion Award for her advocacy efforts in preventing youth vaping and smoking in Southeast Georgia. Under Dr. Levett’s leadership, the Tar Wars tobacco and vape prevention program was successfully implemented over the last two school years with 10,000 SCCPSS students learning about the true dangers of tobacco and vaping products. The award was presented by Taura White (L) and Dr. Seema Csukas (2L) from CareSource Georgia along with SCCPSS Chief of Police Terry Enoch (R) and GAFP EVP Fay Fulton (2R). As the presenting sponsor of the Southeast Georgia Tar Wars Strike Force, CareSource donated $100,000 to support Tar Wars in five Southeast Georgia counties.
In March of this year, 230 Tar Wars curriculum kits were shipped to 30 elementary schools across Chatham County. Ashely Tremble-Scott, the Health and Athletics Program Coordinator, worked with our team to provide Tar Wars program training to all elementary physical education staff, and the program was implemented across all schools in April. This valuable partnership with the Savannah Chatham County Public School System staff helped to facilitate and provide this crucial tobacco, nicotine and vape prevention message to 6,900 elementary students across the county.
Later that evening, the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance hosted a dinner at The Grove restaurant in downtown Savannah to celebrate CareSource and our amazing community and physician partners that have made the Southeast Georgia Tar Wars Strike Force so successful. GAFP members in attendance included Drs. Angela Gerguis, John Gerguis, Ian Munger, Sherma Peter, Amethyst Wilder, and Alex Duggan. Though unable to attend the dinner, acknowledgement must be given to our two strike force physician leaders – Drs. Chip Cowart and Bonzo Reddick for their efforts and commitment to the Southeast Tar Wars Strike Force.
It takes a community to make positive change. Together we are making a difference in Southeast Georgia – one student, one family and one community at a time.