Emilee Leger, a fifth-grade student from Ernest GalletElementary School in Youngsville, Louisiana, is the 2008 Louisiana Tar Wars® poster contest winner. Second place winner was Ali Chataignier, a fifth-grade student at Ernest Gallet Elementary in Youngsville, Louisiana. Third place winner was Kilyn Trahan, also a fifth-grade student at Ernest Gallet Elementary in Youngsville, Louisiana. All three of these students are in Mrs. Bizzio's class.

The poster contest is sponsored by the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians Foundation.

Emilee's poster was selected for the statewide contest from approximately 17 regional poster contest winners. The Louisiana state poster contest judging was held May 9th, at the Louisiana State Museum in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The judges were Pam Malveaux, area coordinator from the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living, Roger Elofsen, MD, Baton Rouge pediatrician, and William Stark, Jr., museum director. Also present were Louisiana Tar Wars® coordinator and his wife, Dr. and Mrs. Al Rees, and Jade Verret, representative from the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. Dr. Al Rees stated, “Thank you for all that you do to keep Louisiana’s children and future tobacco-free.” On May 22nd, Dr. Rees will travel to Ernest Gallet Elementary and present the awards to the students in person.

The LAFP Foundation will offer Emilee a $1000 scholarship to attend the annual Tar Wars® National Poster Contest sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Second place winner will receive a $500 savings bond, and third place winner will receive a $300 savings bond.

This year’s national conference celebrates the 20th anniversary of Tar Wars®. The conference will be held Monday-Tuesday, July 21-22, at the Holiday Inn Capitol in Washington, D.C. While in Washington, D.C., Emilee will have the opportunity to visit Capitol sights as well as schedule Capitol Hill visits to take the Tar Wars® tobacco-free message to her congressional leaders.

Thousands of family physicians and healthcare workers across the country present Tar Wars® programs to fourth- and fifth-graders in their local schools every year. This national initiative of AAFP is designed to teach kids about the short-term, image-based consequences of tobacco use, the costs associated with using tobacco products and the advertising techniques used by the tobacco industry to market its products to youth. The follow-up poster contest is conducted at the local, state and national levels to reinforce the Tar Wars® message.

Thank you to every LAFP member and volunteer who made a Tar Wars® presentation this year! If you would like to become a Tar Wars® presenter or to get more information for your school about this program, please contact the LAFP or visit the Tar Wars® Web site for more information.

Jade Verret       
Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians                                          
919 Tara Boulevard                                            
Baton Rouge, LA 70806                                     
Phone: 225.923.3313                                                                              
Email: jverret@lafp.org