ISLAND TEENS ADVOCACY TEAM ITAT NEWSLETTER MAY 2020 ITAT Continues to Take Down Tobacco Our ITAT students are staying busy in the fight against Big Tobacco. The May challenge for our ITAT students was to identify 3 local (in their neighborhood and school area) tobacco retailers and to find out what tactics Big Tobacco is using to target our Pacific Islander community, specifically. May Spotlight Our student spotlight for the month of May is Lone Peak ITAT president, Nafanua Fitisemanu , Harvard signee and rugby scholarship recipient "Nafi is AMAZING! She served as our ITAT president a t Lone Peak this year and was a rockstar at it! Nafi’s passion for ITAT and her culture are inspiring. She leads by example and shows love & kindness to everyone she meets, which made it so easy for her peers to follow her. She accepted a full ride scholarship to play rugby for Harvard but had to be accepted into the University before they could offer her the scholarship. She’s a natural leader and will continue to be an advocate for Pacific Islanders and do amazing things in her future!" Felisita Ika, Lone Peak ITAT advisor We are so proud of Nafi and all of her accomplishments! Nafanua, her parents and siblings after her signing Nafanua Fitisemanu preparing to sign to Harvard Nafanua, classmate Morgan Tautu and assistant Principal Mr. Hill sporting ITAT shirts June Challenge Moving forward into June, we will begin to learn about mental health, as our new initiative includes suicide prevention. The ITAT students are challenged to create 3 positive ITAT affirmations to recite at the beginning of each club meeting. Our thoughts and actions shape our beliefs and experience of the world around us, and the way we speak to ourselves can make or break our attitude each day. Affirmations can help us practice positive self-talk, and positive thoughts. Tobacco Facts: -E-cigarettes are the highest tobacco products used amongst Utah students in grades 8, 10, and12 https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisphview/indicator/view/ECig.Stu_Type.html -Compared to the United States, Utah's smoking rate for students in grades 9-12 was 3.8% (Utah YRBS 2017) compared to the U.S. rate of 8.8% (National YRBS 2017). https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/view/CigSmokAdol.html -From 2011 to 2019, e-cigarette and other vape product use rate continued to increase to a high of 12.4% for Utah’s youth. https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/view/ECig.html -The rate for pacific Islander adults in Utah who currently smoke is 11.6% from 2017- 2018. https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/view/CigSmokAdlt.Race.html -In 2018, about 7 of every 100 middle school students (7.2%) and about 27 of every 100 high school students (27.1%) reported current use of a tobacco product. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/index.htm Diabetes Facts: -In 2018, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders were 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, as compared to the non-Hispanic white population. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=4&lvlid=78 -Prevalence of Utah adults with diabetes is especially high for members of the Pacific Islander in Utah. https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/view/DiabPrev.Race.html -Diabetes is the 7 th leading cause of death in the United States https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/quick-facts.html -Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease, lower-limb amputations, and adult-onset blindness. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/quick-facts.html -Diabetes places an enormous burden on health care resources. Nationally, approximately $245 billion is spent annually: $176 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in indirect medical costs (disability, work loss, and premature death). In Utah, more than a billion dollars each year is spent on direct and indirect medical costs of diabetes. https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/important_facts/DiabPrev.html Corona Virus Update Due to the turmoil our country is currently facing, and the protests for desperately needed change, COVID-19 rates in Utah are rising again. The daily averages are almost double what they were weeks ago. This means that we need to be extra diligent in social distancing, wearing masks in public places, and practicing good hygeine at all times. Upcoming Events: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Kick Butts Day/Take Down Tobacco has been cancelled. FOLLOW US ON: TWITTER @Islandteens INSTAGRAM @islandteensadvocacyteam FACEBOOK: @Queen Center Visit Our Site Let's be buddies ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

ISLAND TEENS ADVOCACY TEAM

ITAT NEWSLETTER MAY 2020

ITAT Continues to Take Down Tobacco

Our ITAT students are staying busy in the fight against Big Tobacco. The May challenge for our ITAT students was to identify 3 local (in their neighborhood and school area) tobacco retailers and to find out what tactics Big Tobacco is using to target our Pacific Islander community, specifically.

May Spotlight

Our student spotlight for the month of May is Lone Peak ITAT president, Nafanua Fitisemanu, Harvard signee and rugby scholarship recipient

"Nafi is AMAZING! She served as our ITAT president at Lone Peak this year and was a rockstar at it! Nafi’s passion for ITAT and her culture are inspiring. She leads by example and shows love & kindness to everyone she meets, which made it so easy for her peers to follow her.

She accepted a full ride scholarship to play rugby for Harvard but had to be accepted into the University before they could offer her the scholarship.

She’s a natural leader and will continue to be an advocate for Pacific Islanders and do amazing things in her future!" Felisita Ika, Lone Peak ITAT advisor

We are so proud of Nafi and all of her accomplishments!

Nafanua, her parents and siblings after her signing

Nafanua Fitisemanu preparing to sign to Harvard

Nafanua, classmate Morgan Tautu and assistant Principal Mr. Hill sporting ITAT shirts

June Challenge

Moving forward into June, we will begin to learn about mental health, as our new initiative includes suicide prevention. The ITAT students are challenged to create 3 positive ITAT affirmations to recite at the beginning of each club meeting. Our thoughts and actions shape our beliefs and experience of the world around us, and the way we speak to ourselves can make or break our attitude each day. Affirmations can help us practice positive self-talk, and positive thoughts.

Tobacco Facts:

-E-cigarettes are the highest tobacco products used amongst Utah students in grades 8, 10,
and12

https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisphview/indicator/view/ECig.Stu_Type.html

-Compared to the United States, Utah's smoking rate for students in grades 9-12 was 3.8%
(Utah YRBS 2017) compared to the U.S. rate of 8.8% (National YRBS 2017).
https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/view/CigSmokAdol.html

-From 2011 to 2019, e-cigarette and other vape product use rate continued to increase to a
high of 12.4% for Utah’s youth.
https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/view/ECig.html

-The rate for pacific Islander adults in Utah who currently smoke is 11.6% from 2017-
2018.
https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/view/CigSmokAdlt.Race.html

-In 2018, about 7 of every 100 middle school students (7.2%) and about 27 of every 100
high school students (27.1%) reported current use of a tobacco product.
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/index.htm

Diabetes Facts:

-In 2018, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders were 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed
with diabetes, as compared to the non-Hispanic white population.
https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=4&lvlid=78

-Prevalence of Utah adults with diabetes is especially high for members of the Pacific
Islander in Utah.
https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/view/DiabPrev.Race.html

-Diabetes is the 7 th leading cause of death in the United States
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/quick-facts.html
-Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease, lower-limb amputations, and
adult-onset blindness.
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/quick-facts.html
-Diabetes places an enormous burden on health care resources. Nationally, approximately
$245 billion is spent annually: $176 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in
indirect medical costs (disability, work loss, and premature death). In Utah, more than a
billion dollars each year is spent on direct and indirect medical costs of diabetes.
https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/important_facts/DiabPrev.html

Corona Virus Update

Due to the turmoil our country is currently facing, and the protests for desperately needed change, COVID-19 rates in Utah are rising again. The daily averages are almost double what they were weeks ago. This means that we need to be extra diligent in social distancing, wearing masks in public places, and practicing good hygeine at all times.

Upcoming Events:

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Kick Butts Day/Take Down Tobacco has been cancelled.

FOLLOW US ON:

TWITTER @Islandteens

INSTAGRAM @islandteensadvocacyteam

FACEBOOK: @Queen Center

Let's be buddies