Tar Wars Finds a new “home” in Peoria

While schools continued to recover and make up ground lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, some dedicated medical students found another great home to provide the important lessons about tobacco prevention to area youth.  University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria medical students taught Tar Wars by visiting the after-school program at Friendship House.  

Founded in 1951, the mission of the Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service https://www.friendship.house/ is to empower families by giving them

hope and a path to prosperity. PFH programs and services include a K-8 after-school program, English Language Support, Parent Mentoring Program and a Food Pantry supported by volunteers and donors. 

Tar Wars has been traditionally used in school classrooms as a health or science lesson.  Other opportunities have included Scout troops and library programs.  After-school programs like those hosted by Friendship House is another example of the community partnerships that are intrinsic to health care and especially primary care.  Tar Wars provides a targeted, positive lesson about tobacco and nicotine which connects local health care providers to students and communities at a critical age to positively shape their views and choices to prevent using tobacco and nicotine products. 

This year UICOMP students, organized by FMIG leader Keila Magafas, presented Tar Wars at local schools including: St Mary’s, Peoria Academy and virtually at Concordia Lutheran School.  “After meeting Shelby from the Friendship House, it seemed like the perfect place to bring Tar Wars! The Friendship House is an impressive, non-profit organization that is truly for the community. I am constantly in awe of all the community events the Friendship House brings forth. I hope the connection between UICOMP and the Friendship House continues to grow.” summarized Magafas.

Participants who were in fourth or fifth grade then created posters about the messages they learned about living tobacco and nicotine free.  Nine posters were sent to the statewide poster contest.  Though the state winner came from another student in a different town, the Foundation will recognize the efforts of these young artists and the medical students who brought the lesson to them. Those posters will be showcased in a banner which will be displayed in the gymnasium of Friendship House to provide a lasting sign of these students and their community’s commitment to a healthy, tobacco-free life. 

The students, their families and the family physicians will celebrate with pizza and a photo opportunity at the Friendship House on Friday June 24.  The Tar Wars program will present each student who created a poster with a Target gift card provided by the Family Health Foundation of Illinois.

Make your plan to teach Tar Wars in your community next school year.  You can visit a school or another community program for this fun lesson.  Learn more at www.iafp.com/tar-wars.

Tar Wars is a tobacco and nicotine prevention program from the American Academy of Family Physicians.  The classroom lesson is updated every year to reflect changes in the tobacco industry, including new products such as e-cigarette, vaping devices and more.  Tar Wars has been implemented by the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians’ Family Health Foundation of Illinois since 1999.  For more information visit www.iafp.com/tar-wars.   The curriculum and parent information sheet has been updated for the next school year and is ready for anyone who would like to take Tar Wars to their local schools.  Contact Ginnie Flynn at [email protected] with questions.