This morning all of the staff and students at Holy Family High School gathered at an assembly. This assembly talked about a rising issue, vaping.
We heard from Mr. Wimmer, who is a teacher at Mountain Range High School who has a passion for helping students ditch addiction. He started the movement called the FOUR 24’s. This movement is to motivate and encourage high school students who are struggling with vape addiction. It provides an incentive that you get when you have accomplished milestones. The white bracelet stands for 24 hours sober/vape free, the purple bracelet stands for 24 days sober/vape free, the red bracelet stands for 24 weeks sober/vape free, and finally the black bracelet stands for 24/7 vape free or sober.
Mr. Wimmer is fighting to establish 4/24 as a national day of sobriety. He realized how many students are struggling with vape addiction but feel like they have nobody to turn to. He became that person in Mountain Range High School. He has made it so students can turn in their vapes to him judgement free. This made it so that students feel safe to quit and will not be punished for changing their way of life. He has started clubs that work to get students to quit vaping. This past year on 4/24 he gathered a group of student ambassadors who he has also had many students turn to healthy alternatives instead of addiction. The main thing they have turned to was art. Many of his students create art that has a deep meaning, the hardships that come with addiction. Many of these art pieces showcase vapes in the form of artwork.
Mr. Wimmer speaks about anti-vaping to schools all across the country. He focuses his presentations on prevention, intervention, and recovery. He works with local health departments and schools to provide safe spaces for kids to give up their vapes for good. He has collected over 700 vapes at schools. And is continuing to share his passion for ending vape addiction with his students through the club “The Phoenix”. This club works to rise up against addiction and encourage fellow students to quit vaping.
