Dearborn Students Seek State Funding To Create Anti-Vaping Documentary

DEARBORN, MI — A group of Dearborn students are trying to receive state funding to produce an anti-vaping documentary titled "Clearing the Air, Together: The Battle Against Vaping."

Students Against Vaping (SAV), a volunteer group of high school students from Fordson, Dearborn and Edsel Ford high schools and Henry Ford Early College, said the documentary will look into the dangers of vaping, dispelling myths and offering solutions.

The students plan to interview medical professionals, educators, parents, students and celebrity athletes, to present a comprehensive view of the issue.

The students need the money to help cover research, production and dissemination costs to ensure the documentary will have a broad reach and impact. The group also plans to translate the documentary into multiple different languages to reach a broader audience.

Dearborn High student Thomas Besek is the Students Against Vaping Legislative Committee Co-Chair and a key advocate for the initiative.

"A recent visit with our state lawmakers in Lansing opened our eyes to the power of advocacy. We are determined to leverage this momentum and create real change in our community by addressing the critical issue of teenage vaping," Besek said.

On Oct. 30, 2023 (National Red Ribbon Week) the group visited the state capitol where they participated in committee hearings, engaged with lawmakers and delivered a letter outlining their legislative priorities to State Reps. Alabas Farhat and Erin Byrnes.

The letter talked about the need for educational initiatives, stricter regulations and increased support services to combat teenage vaping.

"As students, we're not just raising awareness; we're standing up against the haze that’s clouding our generation's future," Students Against Vaping Legislative Committee Co-Chair Bissan Elzein said. "This documentary is our voice, our message to peers: you deserve a healthier path. Let’s clear the air together and build bright, vape-free futures for ourselves and those who come after us."

"We are incredibly proud of our students for taking a proactive stance against teenage vaping," Students Against Vaping Parent Co-Chair Faye Nemer said. "This documentary proposal reflects their dedication to the wellbeing of their peers and the community at large."

Dearborn Public Schools Empowerment Facilitator Violet Souweidane and Fordson High School PTSA President Faye Nemer led the organization. Nemer has been working with the Fordson administration and Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin on implementing measures to reduce the prevalence of teen vaping.

Last summer, Nemer met with Dearborn Public Schools Superintendent Glenn Maleyko to discuss forming a district-wide student committee.

Dearborn Public Schools has partnered with LAHC and ACCESS over the past several years to bring anti-vaping programs to students and parents across the district.

Dearborn High social worker Stacy Rumler and Director of Student Services Abe Mashhour oversee those efforts, which served as a launching point for creating a district-wide, student-led anti-vaping committee. Rumler and Souweidane are co-chairs of the district’s Proactive Plan for Vaping Cessation group.

"Student engagement is an absolute necessity in creating positive change in our schools. I support the work of the Students Against Vaping committee and thank our partners organizing in working together on this vitally important issue," Maleyko said.