Eight teen-agers from Sharon and Farrell are working together to prevent young kids from using tobacco products.

Teens Against Tobacco Use, was started with a $750 grant from the American Cancer Society, said Lynda Moss-McDougall, advisory of the Mercer County 4-H S.Q.U.A.D.S. (Study, Question, Understand, Action, Debrief, Success) Club. The mail goal of the program is to help teens remain tobacco-free and help them develop the skills to teach younger children about tobacco use, Ms. Moss-McDougall said.

The teens met Friday and Saturday at the Radisson Hotel of Sharon, Shenango Township, for training. They watched videos, learned the effects of tobacco on the body and planned presentations.

Ms. Moss-McDougall said she plans on taking the teens into the second, third and fourth grade classrooms in the Sharon and Farrell schools to make anti-tobacco presentations. She said she hopes to start the presentations in mid-April.

"The kids are excited about it," Ms. Moss-McDougall said. "The program was well received."

Ms. Moss-McDougall said she hopes to gradually get all Mercer County schools involved in the program and plans to train a new group of teens each year. "Hopefully they’ll jump on board and see that we’re doing something good," she said.

Chardenee Johnson, 15, of Farrell, said the two-day training session taught her new things about how tobacco affects young teens. She said it’s important for them to take their message to young students. "I think it’s important because you want to stop the kids before they start," she said.

RaTasha Gunn, 16, of Sharon, agreed. She said the young students can be more influenced and absorb more than older students.

Each of the trainees received certificates for completing the course. Ms. Moss-McDougall said the American Lung Association provided training for adults Erin Dixon and Shelly Adams of Mercer County Behavioral Health Commission and 4-H volunteers Sharon Ivey, Gayle Gunn, Kelly Ross and Jennifer Williams.

RaTasha, Chardenee and Shea-Lin Williams, 16, of Sharon, will attend a workshop April 23 in Harrisburg as part of the Pennsylvania Prevention Network Youth Conference, Ms. Moss-McDougall said.