WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today praised the important work in the US Senate to honor Black History Month and to continue to address improving race relations in the US. This week, Lankford cosponsored a Senate resolution to formally commemorate Black History Month. Lankford also joined Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Tim Scott (R-SC) to finally address the crime of lynching through theJustice for Victims of Lynching Act.
“In February, our nation pauses to reflect on the achievements of so many black Americans who have courageously, inspiringly, and often in the face of great adversity paved the future for our nation and helped heal the wounds of racism we still sadly face,” said Lankford. “As Americans, I believe we can and should highlight members of our communities who lead and serve others. In Oklahoma, leaders in the black community from businessmen and women to government leaders to teachers help improve our communities and work to inspire young Americans.
“Our work is ongoing even today to address the stain of racism on our nation’s history. Most of the issues associated with racism in our nation cannot be solved by legislation; they are heart issues. However, there are some areas in which government can and should step forward and provide a solution. I cosponsored the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act because I believe we should once and for all condemn and criminalize lynching as ‘a pernicious and pervasive tool’ that ‘succeeded slavery as the ultimate expression of racism in the United States.’ This bill seeks to right a wrong and provide a tool that DOJ needs to fully prosecute this type of crime. I am grateful for the work of Senators Scott, Harris, and Booker to bring this bill to the floor.”
Unfortunately, due to safety concerns this year, the Waurika Public Library’s Summer Reading Program has been canceled. The Summer Reading Program is something we look forward to every year and we hope to see everyone again next year when our theme will be “Tails and Tales”.
‘Project Kid’ by Amanda Kingloff is available as an an ebook from the Waurika Public Library’s virtual library on Overdrive.
Perfect for crafty parents who are eager to get their kids excited about DIY, ProjectKid is everything you could want in a craft book: 100(!) stylish, inventive projects; step-by-step photographs; tips for the novice crafter; easy-to-follow instructions; and a fresh, modern look. What really sets these projects apart are the unexpected, ingenious ways Kingloff uses everyday objects and materials. (Did you ever think a body-wash bottle would make a perfect rocket ship?) And these are projects for things kids want to make—and keep—from a juice-box owl to a pirate ship to a curio cabinet for displaying all of their treasures, plus games, jewelry, and more. Also included in the book are basic crafting lessons (such as pom-pom making and weaving) to help children of all ages build a DIY arsenal, a handy guide to must-have tools and materials, and a source directory.
You can check out Ebooks and audiobooks online through the Overdrive app available from your phone or tablet’s appstore. Your local library has thousands of ebooks and audiobooks you can check out online. You can borrow them, instantly, for free, using just the device in your hand. You’ll need your library patron card number and the free Overdrive app from the app store on your tablet or phone. Once you open the Overdrive app, find the Waurika Public Library and use your card number to sign in and then search, sample, borrow, enjoy. If you need your card number, call us at 580-228-3274 and we’ll provide it to you.
It takes just a few taps to find and borrow a book. Overdrive has a built-in ebook reader, and an audiobook player. You can also use your Kindle app or send books to a Kindle device for reading.
AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. Just go to ‘smile.amazon.com’ and select Friends of the Waurika Public Library.
For information about events, activities and more, visit our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/WaurikaPublicLibrary/
Ryan High School athletes were honored Monday night in the school’s cafeteria at the annual all-sports banquet.
A total of 47 athletes were recognized for their accomplishments in the 2018-2019 school year.
Two Ryan athletes were honored with a new award – Cowboy and Cowgirl Award. Holland Carter, a standout track, cross country and cheerleader, and Travis Fristoe, the school’s only four-sport letterman, were selected for the award.
Carter was also honored with a special letter jacket given to the girls cross country seniors that finish in the top ten in the state cross country meet. She was also presented with a special award for her contributions to cross country and track the past four years.
Their names will be on a plaque that will be placed in the lobby of the remodeled Ryan gym before the start of next year’s basketball season.
Ryan Fresmen at Ryan Sports Banquet
Athletic Director Tony Tomberlin also recognized two people for contributions to the Ryan athletic program. Ricky Phillips, the long-time public address announcer for the Cowboy football team, was presented a football signed by Ryan athletes in recognition of 20 years of service.
Ricky Phillips recognized for being the voice of the Ryan Cowboys for 20 years. Photo by Sheree Hanson
This reporter was also recognized for contributions to the Ryan athletic program and was presented with a signed basketball.
Trey Smart was honored for being not only a journalist with distinction but for recording the story of the Cowboys in print.
Plaques were presented to the graduating seniors that participated in the various sports for the Cowboys and Cowgirls.
But, the evening belonged to the athletes that participated in the sports of cross country, cheerleading, fast-pitch softball, football, boys basketball, girls basketball, slow-pitch softball, track and field and baseball.
Letter awards were given to each of the athletes in every sport and special recognition was given to selected athletes in each sport. All-conference, all-district and conference all-stars were also presented certificates during the evening’s activities.
Coaches Cheryl Carter, Steve Spangler, Tony Tomberlin, Stan Mueggenborg, Austin Masoner and Tony Roberts presented the awards during the evening.
Special recognition was also given to grade school coach Shelly Cain. Tomberlin presented her with five tickets to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City for her contribution to the grade school, junior high and high school athletes.
Shelly Cain is presented with five tickets to the Women’s College World Series for her contribution to Ryan Athletics. Photo by Sheree Hanson
Here’s a list of the student-athletes honored during the evening:
(l-r) Lilybet Harmon and Juliet Spangler Photo by Sheree Hanson
Football
Lineman of the Year: Sam Brown; Newcomer of the Year: Mike Regehr; Defensive Player of the Year: Travis Fristoe; Offensive Player of the Year: Skyler Parkhill; Most Valuable Player: Grayson Tomberlin.
Ryan Football Awards presented. (l-r) front row: Andrew Villarreal, Sam Brown, Skyler Parkhill, Travis Fristoe, and Michael Regehr. back row: Grayson Tomberlin, Trey Bryant, Kalen Weldon, and Pacen Wiest. Photo by Sheree Hanson
Fast-Pitch Softball
Teammate of the Year: Lily York; Most Valuable Player: Juliet Spangler.
Offensive Player of the Year: Samantha Good; Defensive Player of the Year: Laken DeBoard; Most Valuable Player: Emilee Martin.
(l-r) Laken DeBoard, Samantha Good, Kodi Duke, Emilee Martin
Girls Basketball
Newcomer of the Year: Alicen Williams; Most Improved Player: Bailee Martin; Defensive Player of the Year: Lily York; Offensive Player of the Year: Juliet Spangler; Most Valuable Player: Samantha Good.
(l-r) Samantha Good, Juliet Spangler, Lily York, and Alicen Williams. Photo by Sheree Hanson
Boys Basketball
Sixth Man Award: Andrew Villerreal; Mr. Hustle Award: Travis Fristoe; Offensive Player of the Year: Kaine Howard; Defensive Player of the Year: Landen Alexander; Most Valuable Player: Grayson Tomberlin.
(l-r) Back Row: Andrew Villarreal, Kaine Howard. Front Row: Grayson Tomberlin, Travis Fristoe, and Landen Alexander. Photo by Sheree Hanson
Slow-Pitch Softball
Defensive Player of the Year: Justyce Keith; Offensive Player of the Year: Samantha Good; Most Valuable Player: Emilee Martin.
(l-r) Samantha Good, Emilee Martin, and Justice Keith. Photo by Sheree Hanson
Baseball
Most Improve: Daniel Alsup; Co-Most Valuable Players: Travis Fristoe and Pacen Wiest.
(l-r) Pacen Wiest, Travis Fristoe, and Daniel Alsup. Photo by Sheree Hanson
Boys Track
Most Valuable Player: Travis Fristoe.
Girls Track
9th Grade Letters: Landen Alexander (track, boys basketball), Raesh Casebolt (boys basketball, football), Carter Combs (fast-pitch softball, slow-pitch softball, girls basketball), Carson Cooper (football, baseball), Katelynn Dabbs (track, cross country), Danielle Garza (slow-pitch softball), Kaine Howard (boys basketball), Caleb Perrin (football, baseball, boys basketball), Lindsey Reake (fast-pitch softball, slow-pitch softball, girls basketball), Michael Regehr (football, boys basketball), Skylar Wickware (football, boys basketball, baseball), Alicen Williams (cross country, girls basketball, track).
(l-r) Travis Fristoe, Lily York, Holland Carter, and Juliet Spangler
10th Grade Letters: Daniel Alsup (baseball, boys basketball), Trey Bryant (football, basketball, baseball), Crystal Chazaretta (cheerleading), Diamond Chazaretta (slow-pitch softball), Kyla Essary-Phillips (slow-pitch softball), Lilybet Harmon (cheerleading, track, cross country), Eimilee Lowry (cheerleading), Trista Perry (slow-pitch softball), Grayson Tomberlin (football, boys basketball, baseball), Tawny Vanover (cheerleading).
(l-r) Back Row: Grayson Tomberlin, Kodi Duke, and Trey Bryant. Front Row: Lilybet Harmon, Kyla Essary-Phillips, and Daniel Alsup. Photo by Sheree Hanson
11th Grade Letters: Brooklyn Charmasson (cheerleading, slow-pitch softball, fast-pitch softball), Samantha Good (fast-pitch softball, girls basketball, slow-pitch softball), Avery Howard (fast-pitch softball, slow-pitch softball), Savannah Lashley (fast-pitch softball, slow-pitch softball), Bailee Martin (girls basketball), Gunner Phillips (football, boys basketball, baseball), Walker Rawlings (track), Madisen Rhoades (fast-pitch softball, slow-pitch softball), Walter Snider (football), Juliet Spangler (cross country, girls basketball, track), Grace Stamper (cheerleading, slow-pitch softball), Andrew Villarreal (football, boys basketball, baseball), Lily York (cross country, girls basketball, track).
(l-r) Back Row: Andrew Villarreal, Juliet Spangler, Savannah Lashley, Avery Howard, Samantha Good, and Gunner Phillips. Front Row: Lily York, Grace Stamper, Madisen Rhoades, Brooklyn Charmasson. Photo by Sheree Hanson
12th Grade Letters: Samuel Brown (football, baseball), Holland Carter (cheerleading, cross country, track), Laken Deboard (cheerleading, fast-pitch softball, slow-pitch softball), Travis Fristoe (football, boys basketball, track, baseball), Justyce Keith (fast-pitch softball, slow-pitch softball), Emilee Martin (fast-pitch softball, slow-pitch softball), Skyler Parkhill (football), Kalen Weldon (football), Pacen Wiest (football, baseball), Justin Williams (football).
(l-r) Back Row: Skyler Parkhill, Kalen Weldon, Pacen Wiest, and Sam Brown. Front Row: Travis Fristoe, Justyce Keith, Holland Carter, Laken DeBoard, and Emilee Martin. Photo by Sheree Hanson.
The Waurika Public Library is now offering curbside service to checkout books between 9am and noon, M-F. You can visit waurika.booksys.net/opac/waurikapl/index.html to browse our catalog. Then message Darren Biby on Facebook or call 580-228-3274 so that we can get them ready and bring them out to your car when you get to the library.
‘Look Alive Twenty-Five’ by Janet Evanovich is available as an audiobook or an Ebook from the Waurika Public Library’s virtual library on Overdrive.
Stephanie Plum faces the toughest puzzle of her career in the twenty-fifth entry in Janet Evanovich’s #1 New York Times bestselling series. There’s nothing like a good deli and the Red River Deli in Trenton is one of the best. World famous for its pastrami, cole slaw and for its disappearing managers. Over the last month, three have vanished from the face of the earth, the only clue in each case is one shoe that’s been left behind. The police are baffled. Lula is convinced that it’s a case of alien abduction. Whatever it is, they’d better figure out what’s going on before they lose their new manager, Ms. Stephanie Plum.
You can check out Ebooks and audiobooks online through the Overdrive app available from your phone or tablet’s appstore. Your local library has thousands of ebooks and audiobooks you can check out online. You can borrow them, instantly, for free, using just the device in your hand. You’ll need your library patron card number and the free Overdrive app from the app store on your tablet or phone. If you do not know your card number you can message Darren Biby on Facebook or email WaurikaPublicLibrary@gmail.com to get it.
Once you open the Overdrive app, find the Waurika Public Library and use your card number to sign in and then search, sample, borrow, enjoy.
It takes just a few taps to find and borrow a book. Overdrive has a built-in ebook reader, and an audiobook player. You can also use your Kindle app or send books to a Kindle device for reading.
You can download books and audio books for offline reading, or stream them to save space. Sample any book with a tap — nothing to download or delete. Try a zoomable graphic novel, or a picture book with read-along audio. Your loans, holds, reading positions, bookmarks and notes are synchronized automatically across all your devices. Your ebooks will be automatically checked back in at the end of your check out period. Ebooks placed on hold will be automatically checked out to you when they become available.
The Waurika Public Library will reopen as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. Just go to ‘smile.amazon.com’ and select Friends of the Waurika Public Library.
For information about events, activities and more, visit our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/WaurikaPublicLibrary/
All members of the Council were present along with Ryan’s attorney as the council undertook the business in the interest of the town of Ryan.
Deborah Reynolds read the treasurer’s report for the month ending on February 28, 2018. The report was approved unanimously.
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved.
The purchase orders and claims were approved for the month of November.
Next, the council discussed a request of the Ryan Public Schools to possibly place a wireless antenna on the town water tower. The city attorney, Kenzie Wheeler, suggested that the school sign a liability waiver. The antenna will be used to broadcast an internet signal from the school to the football field.
Ryan voted to sponsor an Easter Egg Hunt in the park on Saturday, March 24, 2018.
The council voted to pass Resolution 2018-01 reducing the commercial polecat rate from $30.00 to $19.50 per month.
Ryan will publish a request for bids for the cemetery mowing contract for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2019.
Under new business, the council said the Ryan water will be turned off this coming Saturday in order to facilitate repairs. It is believed that the water could be turned back on by noon or soon thereafter.
The Utility Authority Meeting began immediately after the conclusion of the regular town meeting.
The minutes for the previous meeting were approved.
Next, the council approved paying the bills and claims for the month of February.
The council voted to purchase 2 (15 KVA Reclosures from T&R Electric for a total cost of $13,700. The current ones haven’t been replaced in at least 60 years. The new ones will be more efficient and dependable. The reclosures act like a circuit breaker. One services the north side of town and the other the south side of town.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Kristina Torres is a Waurika Native who has lived here all her life and has a vested interest in the success of Waurika. She feels the city is going in a good direction and doesn’t want it to lose any momentum. She says Waurika is a beautiful town. “We have a great community that has always been supportive of one another.
Torres graduated from Waurika in 2007 as class valedictorian.
She began her college education at the University of Oklahoma and later transferred to the University of Central Oklahoman located in Edmond.
She began working for the Waurika Ambulance Service in 2016. Torres is a paramedic, a vocation inspired by her mom.
Torres is very active within the community. Currently she is helping coach Girls on the Run. Recently she spoke at the Wish Task Force Career Fair held for Waurika students. As part of the task force she is very active in helping adults achieve career success.
Her goal is to do what it takes to help Waurika grow and prosper. She wants to see more activities for children, young people and senior adults. She says she is eager hear citizen’s concerns, and issues.
Being a first responder, Torres wants to see the Fire Department and emergency services have all the resources they need to keep local citizens safe.
She also wants to improve the cities infrastructure along with the continued efforts to improve Waurika’s parks.
Jerry Wallace
Jerry Wallace
Jerry Wallace started life in Love county and moved to Addington when he was in the seventh grade. Wallace says he was raised by the “best mother in the world”. She raised eleven kids in her family. All six boys ended up with Master’s Degrees. Wallace graduated high school from Addington and went on the earn a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University out of Hunstville, Texas. Before that he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Sociology from Central State University.
“I believe I’m qualified to deal with people and listen to people. That’s what I want to do, listen to the people of this town. I’ve dedicated lots of work to the city. I’ve cleaned up the property of many of the houses they have torn down. I’ve mowed the ditches along the streets for them. I love to work and I love to help people.”
Over the past 18 years he has been a part of the Baptist Disaster Team. They go all over the country to assist with cleaning up and helping those who have experienced a catastrophe (flood, tornado, hurricane, etc). Last year he was deployed 12 times and this year he has already been deployed twice. It’s purely a labor of love. It’s completely voluntary. He says his reward is simply helping people.
He retired in 1980 from the Drug Enforcement Administration. He had served 12 years overseas in various countries including Iran.
He was working in Iran when the embassy was overtaken and the hostage crisis began. During his years of service he traveled to 45 countries. “God has really blessed me,” he says.
Wallace says he was Mayor of Waurika for six years during the 1980s. Since then he has kept up with the goings on of Waurika.
He currently feels Waurika is spending too much money for a small town. As an example, he states he attended a city commissioner meeting where they were wanting to buy a $54,000.00 police car. When he asked if he could address the issue he says they would only allow him to speak for three minutes (Note: All citizens allowed to address the commissioners during citizen input are only given three minutes to speak.) Wallace, said, “I think that is horrendous when they do that. I feel like the council we have today thinks this city is their’s and the money they have is their’s. I see this as the people’s money. They keep taxing us. Every six months they raise the water rates.”
Referring back to the purchase of the police car he said he attempted to keep them from doing that because they could have purchased one $25,000.00 cheeper. He said they laughed at him.
He also cited the purchase of the new central air unit for the Presbyterian Church, which he says is only used one time per year yet they spent $12.000.00 on the unit. “I thought that was ridiculous,” he said.
Later, Wallace said the city “transferred a million dollars from a checking account to a CD and then raised the utility rates 2.5%. Wallace goes on to say that “the average income for the whole town is $36.000.00 per family.” He says the people in town can’t afford to pay the utility rates we have. Wallace says Waurika’s utility rates are the highest in the state according to his research. He says, “Comanche’s minimum utility bill is $36.00. Waurika’s is around $100.00.” Wallace said in Ryan the citizens get water and electric for around $100 per month.
“We’ve got to improve. We’ve got to have people in there who care about this town. They are the ones we serve. I just feel like if I don’t stand up for what I believe I won’t have a right to complain.”
“That’s why I am running for city council. I know I can’t do it by myself but maybe I can convince two other ones to go along with me. I just want to leave the town better than I found it.”
“The things that really get me is a year ago they bought five new pickups for the street, water and utility department. Our city limits only go a quarter mile south and a half mile east and a half mile west and people live two miles out on highway five. They sold pickups that were only 15 years old that people are still driving today hauling wood to Wichita Falls. We don’t have to have the best of everything here. It’s all about taxing the people of this town. I can’t see how anyone can pay a $130 -$140 utility bill to the city while living in the housing. That doesn’t include their electricity.”
“The City council thinks this town belongs to them and I can’t stand it. It’s not their town. We pay for everything they do.”
Wallace went on to discuss the ladder truck used by the Waurika Fire Department, “Having a ladder truck on the fire department for $200,000 that the people are having to pay for when we’ve used it two times in the last two years we’ve had it. One was to get a cat out of the tree and the other was in a parade. Do we need it? I don’t think the people need it. The only people who pay for it are property owners. It was a bond and the city council approved it. They can stop expenditures like that if they would just stop and think about the people. I feel for the poor people and feel for the people having financial trouble. I’m going to try to do something about it. I don’t know if one person can start it and get it going but we did in the 1980s. I’m still in good enough health to get in there and fight a good battle. I’ll be working for the people not for city council. I will not go along with anything that cost the people more.
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is pleased to announce that Duncan Regional Hospital, Jefferson County Hospital, Jefferson County Rural Clinics and Solutions Clinics have earned 2019 CHIME HealthCare’s Most Wired recognition as a certified level 7. The Most Wired program conducts an annual survey to assess how effectively healthcare organizations apply core and advanced technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve health and care in their communities.
“Healthcare organizations across the globe are continually striving to raise the standard of care, pushing themselves and their peers to do better,” said CHIME President and CEO Russ Branzell. “We designed Most Wired to identify and share those leading practices so everyone can benefit. It is an honor to be among those that perform at the highest levels, knowing that the excellence they achieve will impact patients for years to come.”
“We are very excited to be on the Most Wired list this year. Duncan Regional Hospital, Jefferson County Hospital, as well as all our regional Jefferson County Rural Health Clinics and our Solutions Clinics have worked hard these past few years to increase the use of technology in our system that directly helps patients. We could not be happier with being named to this list and consider it a great accomplishment as we continually strive to provide the best care possible in southwest Oklahoma,” said Roger L. Neal, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Duncan Regional Hospital Inc.
A total of 16,168 organizations were represented in the 2019 Most Wired program, which this year included three separate surveys: domestic, ambulatory and international. The surveys assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in healthcare organizations at all stages of development, from early development to industry leading. Each participating organization received a customized benchmarking report, an overall score and scores for individual levels in eight segments: infrastructure; security; business/disaster recovery; administrative/supply chain; analytics/data management; interoperability/population health; patient engagement; and clinical quality/safety. Participants can use the report and scores to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement.
This is the second year that CHIME has conducted the survey and overseen the program. Last year CHIME made numerous improvements to the survey, governance and scoring methodology. This year CHIME added an ambulatory survey in addition to the domestic survey, expanded international outreach and incorporated an improved system that allows participating organizations to better benchmark their level of adoption and outcomes achieved. The system includes Most Wired certification at a level that reflects an organization’s overall performance. CHIME also revised the customized benchmarking report for ease of use and will again publish a report based on Most Wired responses to identify industry trends in 2019.
About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers (CIOs), chief medical information officers (CMIOs), chief nursing information officers (CNIOs), chief innovation officers (CIOs), Chief Digital Officers (CDOs) and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 2,900 members in 56 countries and over 150 healthcare IT business partners and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and care in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.
The Red River Valley Venue & Opry House hosted a country music event on Saturday, May 12th, in Byers, Texas at the newly restored (former) Byers Methodist Church.
Niles City, a Country/Rock/Blues/Funk music group from Ft. Worth, entertained for two hours; delighting the audience with a variety of genres ranging from classic country to gospel music.These EFI recording artists are talented singers, songwriters and musicians who are no strangers to the music industry. Most of them have over 20 years in the music industry; offering an amazing and professional entertaining experience. They recently opened for headliners at Billy Bob’s Texas in Ft. Worth, including country artist, Steve Wariner,as well as opening for Kiefer Sutherland and his band the same weekend.Read more about Niles City and these amazing musicians on their website www.nilescityband.com and on their Niles City official FB page.
Based on the numerous positive comments and feedback from those in attendance, they have been invited to return.That date and time is yet to be determined, but we anticipate it to be within the next couple of months.The Red River Valley Venue & Opry House official FB page will post dates for this and all upcoming music/entertaining events,as they are confirmed. For more information regarding the venue, dates and rental pricing, please contact, Jerry McMahan @ 281-785-1990.
Chris Largent visiting with Niles City after the concert at the Red River Valley Venue & Opry House
The biggest challenge to Big Tobacco’s business model is that its product kills its most successful customers. The solution is hooking new, young users on their deadly products. These strategies have been well documented in internal tobacco industry documents where children are referred to as “replacement smokers.”
While cigarettes may be are less in vogue, and Big Tobacco continues its business strategy to addict young people in hopes of gaining a lifelong customer. Big Tobacco continues to peddle addiction with an array of products like vapes, lozenges and snus, all in fruit and candy flavors and packaged with bright, fun colors.
As a result, vaping is erasing two decades of success in reducing teen smoking. It is endangering the health of our children and the future workforce.
Building on its success with the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) launched a new service to help teens. My Life, My Quit, a free texting/chat program for teens 13-17 who want to quit tobacco in any form – cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vape pods or smokeless tobacco.
In Oklahoma, 1 in 6 high school students use e-cigarettes. One in 4 high school students nationally reported using tobacco in past month. The rise of e-cigarettes and vape use among youth has been declared an epidemic by the U.S. Surgeon General.
My Life, My Quit is an evidence-based cessation program that offers live text support, webchat and phone coaching specifically for teens. The program is operated by National Jewish Health, a leading respiratory hospital and the largest non-profit tobacco quitline provider in the United States.
My Life, My Quit combines best practices for youth tobacco cessation adapted to include vaping and new ways to reach a coach using live text messaging or online chat. The program also includes educational materials created with input from both youth and subject matter experts. My Life, My Quit gives youth who want to quit access to resources that can help them live longer, healthier lives.
TSET’s goals include lowering Oklahoma’s rising numbers in teen tobacco usage. Research shows that the teen quit experience is very different from the adult experience. My Life, My Quit will meet Oklahoma teens on their level and communicate with them via channels in which they are comfortable. Nicotine replacement therapy is not provided to youth.
TSET is pleased to introduce this specialized quit service to help our kids live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, visit My Life, My Quit at www.mylifemyquit.com.
