On Wednesday, July 10, more than 300 teens from 14 New York counties converged on Hamilton College for a New York State Department of Health sponsored Reality Check Summit. Reality Check is a teen-led, adult-supported anti-tobacco movement in its third year.
Joining the young adults were MTV stars Yes Duffy, 23, and Malik Cooper, 25. Duffy, a Road Rules 8 cast member became interested in the anti-tobacco industry campaign after working with the nationally funded Truth campaign. Created by teens, for teens, the program hopes to educate youth about different ways to become activists against big-business tobacco. Duffy explains, "We are ground level activists for teens, who are not against the individual smokers; they are the victims of the tobacco companies." Duffy is angered by the tobacco industry targeting of youth in its advertising and is willing to do anything possible to help counteract these messages.
The Hamilton summit is the second of four that are being held across New York State this summer. The main goal is to empower these young leaders with the skills to counter the tactics tobacco companies use to target teens. Cooper, a Real World, New York cast member, is happy to support the project in any way he can. "It is a youth-based movement and you gotta' love it," says Cooper. He and Duffy taught the young activists how to make bumper stickers, handouts, flyers and posters that can be distributed to promote their anti-tobacco message.
Schuyler Wood, 18, of Ithaca, became interested in the movement after traveling to New York City to cover another Reality Check summit for his high school's television station. "It is especially great that one of the goals of the program is to recruit our peers and get new kids into the movement," says Wood.
Other events in the 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. festivity included a "local action showcase," "activist camp," information sessions, games and even an-end-of-summit dance party. After a long day on the Hamilton Campus, amid sad goodbyes, the tired but inspired students left Hamilton ready to wage their war against big-business tobacco.
