RUMFORD – Tar Wars, a program of the American Academy of Family Physicians, is a tobacco-free education program given to fourth- and fifth-grade students across the country and internationally.

The program is made possible in the community through a collaboration with Rumford Hospital, Swift River Health Care and Project NOW (Northern Oxford Wellness), which is a Healthy Maine Partnership and a program of the nonprofit River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition.

This year 15 fourth-grade classrooms (more than 200 students) in the River Valley area received the Tar Wars presentation. It consisted of a discussion on a number of topics, including short-term effects of using tobacco, financial costs, reasons people use tobacco and tobacco and advertising.

Each student was invited to participate in a poster contest depicting the positive effects of being tobacco free. Each student was encouraged to develop a catchy slogan for their poster.

In every classroom an overall top winner was chosen, with one overall regional winner for the best slogan. The winning slogan this year was: “Don’t Smoke Snuff or Chew. Go Find Something Else to Do!” by Mike Rodway of Crescent Park Elementary School, Bethel.

Classrooms are revisited and every student receives a free Tar Wars T-shirt with the overall winning slogan printed on the back. Each classroom winner has his/her poster ironed on their T-shirt as well as that of their teacher.

This year’s classroom winners are as follows:

Crescent Park Elementary School: teacher, Jermone; first, Mike Rodway, first place regional winner; second, Aiden Clark; third, Carl Brooks; teacher, Haines; first, Skyelynn Patten; second, Annalise Hawthorne; third, David Pilgrim-Guay; honorable mention, Ryan Vail, Maureen Glover; teacher, Charette; first, Skye Fournier; second, Dylan Gordon; third, Hannah Hodskins.

St. Athanasius and St. John Elementary School: teacher, Venskus; first, Kayla Drapeau; second, Megan Bradbury, second place regional winner; third, Isabella Deluca, third place regional winner.

Peru Elementary School: teacher, Holman; first, Gabriella Scott, fourth place regional winner; second, Travis Desmond; third, Randy Taylor; teacher, Holmquist; first, Lea Nolette; second, Tyler Boulanger; third, Carrigan Robinson.

Rumford Elementary School: teacher, Breau; first, Tyler Giambattista; second, Nathan Bradman; teacher, Richard; first, Ashley (Richardson) Davis; second, Sam Higley; third, Corbin Arsenault.

Meroby Elementary School: teacher, Coffin; first, Cheyenne Gammon; second, Griffin Hamel; third, Kaitlynn Theriault; teacher, Fuller; first, Alexa Davis; second, Brooke Young; third, Skyla Dubois; teacher, Gyberson; first, Matt Pulsifer; second, Kristin Arsenault.

Dixfield Elementary School: teacher, Giambattista; first, Megan Morrison; second, Nick St. Germain; third, Keith Masse; teacher, Fuller; first, Sabrina Smith; second, Matt Dyke; third, Logan Bryant; honorable mention, Shelby Seavey, Kalsey Hutchins.

Andover Elementary School: teacher, Sabin; first, Lisa Gammon; second, Brianna Vitale; third, Courtney Currier; honorable mention, Taran Vitale.

Woodstock Elementary School: teacher, Ferland; first, Annie Cushman; second, Sadie Ellsworth; third, Kristen Jackson.

Top winning posters have been sent to the state competition.