Where there’s smoke

Bulldog appointed to state trustee board

By David DesRoches

For years, many young people have turned to cigarettes, trying to be cool. Corey Howell is not one of those young people. In fact, he’s spent three years advocating healthy lifestyles and educating his peers on the dangers of smoking.

As part of his ongoing efforts to dismantle the myths about tobacco, the Goochland High School sophomore was recently appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine to serve four years on the board of trustees for the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth. Howell will serve alongside state delegates, physicians and health professionals from across the state.

The 16-year-old is one of two high school students appointed to the board. As a board member, he will have equal voting power with his elders. “I was speechless when I heard I was chosen,” Howell said during a phone interview. “I was really happy. As soon as I got off the phone, I called all my friends and family.”

VFHY is part of the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation which was established by the General Assembly in 1999 in an effort to reduce and prevent youth tobacco use. According to a VFHY brochure, its $12 million annual budget is funded by the nation’s major tobacco manufacturers through the Master Settlement Agreement.

Howell will participate on VFHY’s marketing committee, according to Danny Sagesse, director of marketing for the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation. “He’s going to be involved in the development and approval of the full scope of the marketing campaign,” Sagesse said. Sagesse met Howell at the National Conference on Tobacco or Health in Phoenix, Arizona this past June. Sagesse was responsible for manning his organization’s booth, and Howell was to assist him. “Corey owned that booth,” Saggese said. “He owned that session. He just took charge and empowered himself. Since he has worked directly on the campaign, he was a better presenter than I ever could have been. I stepped away and observed. It was fascinating.”

Howell also works with Y Street, a statewide anti-smoking campaign designed to redefine what teenagers consider to be cool. “Corey stands out above the vast majority of kids in Y Street,” said Kyle O’Grady, project coordinator for Rescue Social Change Group, the non-profit organization that manages Y Street. “He has the confidence and competence to approach strangers and have intelligent conversations. That’s rare for a teenager.”

Working with Y Street, Howell implemented a fashion show at Goochland High School to raise awareness for the GlamRock campaign, a program that sent hundreds of letters to Glamour and Rolling Stone magazines, criticizing the number of tobacco ads the magazines publish. Howell’s project is now used as a model for other Y Street campaigns, O’Grady said.

According to its Web site, VTSF utilizes Y Street to reach more than 60,000 children across the commonwealth every year with community-based instructional programs. Through Y Street, O’Grady said that Howell has engaged in street projects such as surveys and video testimonials, and online message boards and forums. Howell is one of 15 Y Street membership leaders, which includes youth from across the state.

But Howell’s efforts continue to expand beyond his work with Y Street and VFHY. In an effort to promote healthy lifestyles amongst teenagers, Howell started the Greater Richmond Anti-Smoking Project (GRASP) with two of his friends. Howell is also a member of the National Society of High School Scholars, which is a student organization that connects young people with each other and to additional resources to help them succeed. Membership requires students have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5.

In addition to attending school full-time and all his extra-curricular activities, Howell manages to spend time volunteering as a conflict resolution trainer with Richmond Peace Center. He is also a volunteer at St. Mary’s Hospital, one the many feats that make his grandmother, Elizabeth Howell, proud. “We’re so excited,” she said. “Corey is going after whatever he wants. He is special.” Elizabeth raised Corey since he was three months old, and Corey noted that she has been a positive influence throughout his life, giving him the drive to succeed.

Corey said that he hopes to attend George Washington University and major in psychology. “I’m set in stone that I want to go to medical school,” he said. “I’ve been looking at med schools since eighth grade.”

After college, he said that he would like to become an anesthesiologist. Until that day, he has his hands full promoting healthy lifestyles and leading his peers by steadfast example.