We recently got a chance to talk with facilitator Ann Underwood. She is a licensed school nurse for three schools in the Groveport-Madison Local School District in the southeastern part of Franklin County: Sedalia Elementary, Asbury Elementary and Groveport-Madison Middle School North, which includes 5th and 6th grades.

What is your background?
I've been a school nurse for 22 years, 15 in Ohio and seven years in Lexington, Kentucky. My prior nursing jobs were orthopedic/neurological nursing at two hospitals, private duty, ob/gyn office nurse and at a health department pediatric clinic. I love the teaching aspect of my job. I also teach American Heart Association CPR and First Aid.

What do you think about Word of Mouth?
Students are enthused about this computerbased program. I think it’s good that it’s an annual program for 4th-8th graders so antismoking messages are reinforced each year.

What do you like best about Word of Mouth?
I like the fact that Word of Mouth is a computer-based program that allows our students to read age appropriate anti-smoking information at their own pace. They also take a quiz that the science teacher can use as a grade. Upon completion of their lesson, students can play anti-smoking games so no one is bored while others work to finish their lesson.

What is the biggest challenge in preventing tobacco use by kids today?
A majority of our students have one or more parents who smoke so they see smoking as a normal adult activity. Students also see movie and TV characters smoking, so I believe observation of adults smoking is our biggest challenge.

What do you want your students to take away from this program?
I hope the students will remember the antismoking computer pictures when they are tempted to smoke. I want them to remember why they don't want to start smoking and how they can get hooked on nicotine.

What question do students ask you most often?
Several students have asked me whether I have ever smoked. I am happy to tell them that I never have and never wanted to smoke, even though one of my best friends in Junior High did smoke.

Is there anything you would like to add about this program?
I am really glad that I was trained 3 years ago to be a facilitator for Word of Mouth. Hopefully our students will never start smoking since now they have learned the bad effects of nicotine and tar while doing the computer lessons.