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Board backs youth-written resolution to limit new tobacco retailers; students celebrated for state and national achievements
Summary
The school board approved a youth council resolution urging local governments to restrict new tobacco retail locations; the meeting also included student recognitions and a student council president's report on competitions and scholarships.
The Orange County School Board voted to pass a resolution written by the county youth council urging the county and towns to adopt ordinances that would restrict new tobacco retail locations, including vape sellers, in the county.
Board members approved the youth-drafted resolution by voice vote after youth council representatives described a multi-year effort that began with letters to state legislators and moved to local lobbying. The students solicited letters of support from youth-minded organizations and plan to present the resolution to the Board of Supervisors and town councils.
Youth presenters described the process and cited local and statewide data on youth tobacco use; board members praised the students’ research and advocacy. One board member said the statistics in the resolution were “shocking” and offered to attend the Board of Supervisors’ meeting in support.
The board also recognized student achievements. Dylan Mills, the Orange County High School student council president, reported that the school’s student council won state-level recognition and that the school earned national qualifications in several extracurricular competitions. Mills said, “I am Orange County High School’s student council president,” and outlined recent student awards, state championships in wrestling, and national qualifiers in DECA, FCCLA and TSA events.
Separately, the Office on Youth announced winners of a “take down tobacco” poster contest sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth; winners were presented with iPads and $250 application funds through a grant program. Board members approved a motion to pass the youth council resolution as presented.
