PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Montvale resident Aria Chalileh, a senior at Pascack Hills High School, invites you to an adult awareness presentation on vaping, a followup from her recent vaping presentations for freshmen and juniors.
The presentation will be held via Zoom on March 2 from 7 to 8 p.m.
Chalileh told Pascack Press on Feb. 15, “Through the vaping presentations at Pascack Hills, we have worked to make sure teenagers are informed of the health consequences of vaping, marketing practices of Big Tobacco, and more.”
She says, “My vaping awareness campaign addresses the weakest link in the vaping epidemic; because vaping is not a reflection of one’s character, it is merely a manifestation of one’s vulnerabilities.”
She has worked closely with Pascack Hills Student Assistance Counselor Jennifer Zimmermann to conduct the school outreach.
“The vaping epidemic is a relatively new trend but has already infiltrated our community, making it extremely important to address with youth and adults alike,” Chalileh said.
She explained she’s working on her Girl Scout Gold Award for this topic.
And she knows her stuff. Her bio at Hills–Valley Coalition notes she has been involved with the Bergen County Youth Tobacco Action Group for nearly two years. She represents Bergen County as a Youth Advisory Board Member for the statewide campaign Incorruptible.US.
“Through these organizations, she has worked with other youth from across the county and state on different vaping prevention and awareness campaigns, social media post creations, presentations, tabling events, and advocating for change,” the bio reads.
It adds, “More recently, Aria has worked as a National Youth Ambassador for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a national organization focused on legislative changes aimed at preventing youth addiction to tobacco products. Aria’s work with YTAG has allowed her the opportunity to attend the Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute (LMTI) summer camp and learn about leadership, team building, and making positive changes in the community.”
She told Pascack Press, “In collaboration with the Hills–Valley Coalition and the Woodcliff Lake PFA Parent Academy, we will be hosting a presentation for members of our community to learn about the harms of vaping. This is a student-led presentation featuring myself and Jillian Gerber (a junior at Pascack Hills); representatives from the Bergen County Prevention Coalition will also be present.”
For more information, including the Zoom link, visit hillsvalleycoalition.org/post/753.