A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

St. Elizabeth’s ‘Sadie the Science Lady’ video series aims to educate kids about danger of e-cigarettes


St. Elizabeth Healthcare has launched “Sadie the Science Lady,” a unique 13-video series focused on educating students ages 8-14 about the dangers of vaping and e-cigarette use.

The program features “Sadie,” played by area high schooler Erikka Franklin, and her sidekick “Sam,” in a series of explosive and surprising experiments that demonstrate just how volatile the use of vaping devices and e-cigarettes can be on the human body.

“Vaping is now a top concern for parents, school administrators and community members,” said Jeanie Foley, the St. Elizabeth Heart & Vascular Institute Prevention and Wellness Manager. “Our goal is for Sadie to connect the dots with these fun science-based activities while exposing all the dangers of vaping.”

Local schools and drug-free programs will directly benefit from this series as they receive the videos and accompanying education materials to ensure their educators, students and parents of students are well-informed. The series will also be rolled out via St. Elizabeth Healthcare social media channels over the next year, and will include:

• Vape or Not a Vape?
• Coke & Mentos Experiment
• Dunk Vape
• Hairspray vs. Vaping
• How Many Cigarettes?
• There’s No Sugarcoating a Vape
• Volcano Experiment
• Whoosh Bottle Experiment
• Exploding Watermelon
• Clean Lungs
• The Illusion of Vaping
• Popcorn Lung
• Fruit Flavoring

“As schools actively search for ways to address the youth vaping epidemic, ‘Sadie the Science Lady’ comes at the perfect time,” said Dr. Kristen Haddad, Coordinator for Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services (NKCES). “The videos are an innovative, peer-led strategy for informing young people about the dangers of e-cigarette use that fit easily into the school structure. Educators in Northern Kentucky already have plans for integrating the videos during intercom announcements, in lunch periods, coalition meetings, and in SEL and STEM classes.”

According to the CDC, approximately 19.6% of high school students and 4.7% of middle school students use e-cigarettes. Studies also suggest that a majority of young users have never used tobacco products before and indicate that vaping and e-cigarettes are a gateway to tobacco use later in life. Through engaging education, St. Elizabeth strives to ensure children never begin unhealthy habits, including vaping and e-cigarette use.

“Sadie the Science Lady” was made possible by the generous support of St. Elizabeth associates through the St. Elizabeth Foundation Vision 2020 Campaign. Vision was founded over 30 years ago by a small group of dedicated associates and continues to this day with its mission to support and improve the health of our community.

Educators interested in utilizing the video series should contact Jeanie Foley at jeanie.foley@stelizabeth.com or (859) 212-5436. For more information on this initiative or to view all the videos, visit stelizabeth.com.

St. Elizabeth Healthcare


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