Stop Tobacco in Restaurants: Fifth Grade Students STIR City Hall

This article discusses a campaign called STIR: Stop Tobacco in Restaurants, that was started by fourth and fifth grade students. The goal was to end smoking in public places, including restaurants, bowling alleys, sports bars, and pool halls. For two years they motivated their peers, coordinated an information campaign to urge kids and adults to find out about the dangers of second-hand smoke, and they eventually succeeded in passing a city ordinance banning smoking in public places. The STIR campaign inspired student and adult adherents even outside of the community. The project helped students understand that they can work to change their community by using the legislative process. The students developed a democratic ethic that grew and matured through their experiences. The author stresses that students should have access to service-learning projects in which the focus is on improving and developing their community by doing real service and experiencing political efficacy skills. If the schools do not provide this type of experience, students need extra-curricular alternatives to provide them with crucial democratic political skills. The project provides an example to the field of gifted education of what students can and will do to learn, to make a difference, to earn the respect of peers and adults, and to make contributions to their community. (Contains 20 notes.)