Students from Sharon and Farrell joined together Wednesday to kick some butts -- cigarette butts, that is.

The Mercer County 4-H Study, Question, Understand, Debrief, Success Club held its second annual Kick Butts Day at the Sharon City Building. The nationwide event is a campaign for tobacco-free kids.

Chardenee Johnson, a junior at Farrell High School and SQUADS president, said the second annual Kick Butts Day program was very important to her especially because she grew up around second-hand smoke in her family.

"It's (Kick Butts Day) is very important so that the youth know they can stop smoking before they even start," Chardenee said.

Tobacco kills more American each year than alcohol, cocaine, crack, heroin, homicides, suicides, car accidents, fires and AIDS combined, according to information provided by the SQUADS Club. In Pennsylvania, about 63,000 new youth younger than age 18 every year become daily smokers.

Besides prayers, music and a ceremony, the students and community also heard a testimonial from a former smoker, Cheryl Panek of Sharon Lifelong Learning Council.

"I have to tell you it's a very powerful drug," Mrs. Panek told the students. As a heavy smoker for nearly 30 years, Mrs. Panek said her habit caught up with her in December 1996 when she caught double pneumonia and was unable to breathe, even with the help of oxygen.

Mrs. Panek said she was in the hospital for more than a month, and at one point doctors thought they would have to scrape the inside of her lungs to save her life. Eventually, doctors inserted tubes through her back and into her lungs to drain them and help her breathe, she said.

"I am so lucky, so lucky, I got my health back," Mrs. Panek said. She said her children and family tried to get her to stop smoking but before her illness it never worked.

Mrs. Panek told the students to encourage family to stop smoking and "stay on their backs in a nice way."

Mercer County Commissioner Olivia Lazor also spoke and thanked everyone for their hard work. "It takes a strong individual to stand up and talk about an issue," Mrs. Lazor said. "To you young people, I give you applause."

Lynda Moss-McDougall, the 4-H youth program adviser, said the kids involved with the program really believe in the anti-tobacco message. She said though kids think smoking won't adversely affect them, "it can and it will happen to you."