Reaching Everyone By Exposing Lies (REBEL) is an Anti-Tobacco program for teens in New Jersey. REBEL began back in 2000 at Kick Ash Weekend. It was originally funded under the Master Settlement Agreement. It is currently funded by the high taxes on tobacco products. Currently there are three division of REBEL. REBEL2 for middle school students, REBEL for high school students, and REBEL U/ROCS for college students. REBEL's slogan is "My mind, my body, my choice."
New Jersey REBEL has chapters in all 21 counties and in 76 New Jersey high schools as of April 2007. Each county and school chapter has a Youth Coordinator (and school adviser in school groups) who helps in using resources to aid with the group's plans and events. At their meetings, they discuss ideas and make plans to help fight against Big Tobacco.
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Each REBEL county and school chapter is required to have at least 5 events.
Each school chapter is required to do an event for the Great American Smokeout. Each year on the third Thursday in November, the American Cancer Society sponsors this event to encourage people to give up smoking. Each school chapter holds an event within their school to encourage the student and staff to give up smoking.
Every year on May 31, is World No Tobacco Day. An event created by the World Health Organization. This day encourages people to stop smoking for day, in hopes they will commit to quitting. Each school chapter is also required to hold an event for it.
Kick Butts Day is an annual event that aims to educate teens about the dangers of tobacco. It was started by the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids. It is another day that each school chapter is required to hold an event for.
The RTLI (REBEL's Tobacco Learning Institute) is an event help once a year. Its goal is to educate select REBEL members. Each county sends a few of their members up to a 3 day overnight retreat. They attend classes to learn skills in educating others about the harms of tobacco. Some of the classes include informative classes like Tobacco 101, Tobacco 202, and Tobacco Control Across the Borders. They also have skills classes like, Communication Boot Camp, Lead with Power, and Group Facilitation. Each county also chooses an initiative. Each county must have 5 county events relating to their initiative, and each school chapter is require to have at least 1 event relating to the county's initiative. The 4 initiatives a county can choose from are;
Once every year members from all across the state gather at a single location. This event is to help keep members across the state keep united. During the morning the member get together and share ideas as well as make new friends. During the afternoon, the member have a fun activity. Many of the events have been held at Six Flags, with the members being together during the morning and then being allowed to roam the park for the rest of the day.
The group currently has 2 books made by Scholastic. The Uninvited Guest, which is geared toward 2nd and 3rd graders, and Get Rid of That Smoke! which is geared toward kindergarten and 1st graders. Schools chapters can hold trainings to train their members to read to younger kids. Before a school can take their members to read to younger kids, all participating members must be trained in mentoring. The mentoring program is also a county initiative.
CRB (Chapter Representative Board)- Each high school REBEL chapter chooses a representative to report to the County Representative Board (CRB). The CRB shares event ideas, helps resolve issues within school chapters, and plans countywide events.
YAB(Youth Advisory Board- Within the CRB are two elected leaders that represent their county on the state-level Youth Advisory Board (YAB). The 42 YAB members participate in YAB Retreats where they address county issues, share success stories, brainstorm activities, and vote on amendments to the REBEL bylaws
K9(Council of Nine)- From the YAB emerge nine leaders that make up the Council of Nine (K-9). These leaders represent the nine REBEL regions of the state. They plan the Annual REBEL Summit and the REBEL Tobacco Learning Institute.
Regions