Jay M. Robinson Middle student Michelle Ballasiotes was among a group of American Heart Association youth volunteers who met with U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin during her recent visit to North Carolina.

The Surgeon General was in the state Jan. 27 to promote the National Prevention Strategy, and participate in a town hall meeting at the State Health Director’s Conference with local health directors and teen tobacco use prevention advocates.

The topic of the town hall was “What Will It Take to Keep Our Kids (and Grandkids) Tobacco Free.” Teens from North Carolina were invited to ask questions and discuss their efforts to prevent their peers and schoolmates from using tobacco.

"I feel very honored to have been selected to go to this meeting,” Ballasiotes said. “It is very important to prevent kids from starting to smoke because I learned that using tobacco products is the leading cause of preventable death and disability.”

After the town hall, Ballasiotes and the other youth joined Dr. Benjamin and other health advocates for a statewide teleconference. It discussed the importance of continuing tobacco control programs and enhancing obesity prevention programs, key strategies for preventing chronic disease and improving the health of all Americans.

"Meeting the surgeon general was very memorable for me,” Michelle said. "Dr. Benjamin was so personable and she genuinely cares about making sure kids don't start smoking and letting people that do smoke, know there are programs available to help them stop." 

Ballasiotes hopes she can help Dr. Benjamin with this mission by sharing Justin Andrews’ message on Facebook, talking to her classmates and meeting with her Legislators to make sure funding for tobacco use prevention programs continue.