RBHS students learn dangers of tobacco
By Brandi Miller / For the FCT
Red Bay High School students in grades 7-12 recently had the opportunity to hear some valuable lessons about life and the dangers of tobacco during an assembly sponsored by the Tobacco Prevention Program for Franklin County Schools.
Robert Mullen spoke to the students about his life and how his decisions shaped him into the man he is today. Mullen told the students he was a “D” student in his early years, and after high school he enlisted in the Navy.
Once his time in the Navy was completed, he went to work on an oil rig, where he thought he was doing pretty well for himself, until a chance encounter with a co-worker showed him he maybe wasn’t doing all he could be doing.
“As adults we trade our knowledge for money,” Mullen told the students. “And if we don’t have knowledge, we trade our muscle for money. The point of school and further education is to gain more knowledge to make more money.”
Mullen said his co-worker, who was making much more money than him, told him the only difference between the two of them was that he had a college education while Mullen did not. Mullen said after some thought, he decided to go back to college.
He eventually went on to earn his education specialist degree and became an assistant and head principal at Sheffield High School. After his retirement from Sheffield High School, he is now a principal consultant for Colbert County Schools.
“He’s relatable,” said RBHS Junior Noah Haines. “I wish he would come back and have some more time to speak.”
Dr. Kay Hargett, HOSA sponsor, said she chose Mullen to speak because at that time a tobacco grant coordinator had not been chosen. Hargett had heard Mullen speak before at another event and thought he had a strong message and would be a good choice for this speaking event.
Elizabeth Hill has since been chosen as tobacco grant coordinator and was present at the event.
“We were grateful for Mr. Mullins taking time to speak to the students at Red Bay High School,” said Hill. “His style of speaking and stories seemed to resonate with the students. They paid attention and were engaged throughout his presentation, and even afterward they were recounting his tales and talking about what he had to say.
“That tells me the students connected with him and his message and took some important lessons with them. It is pretty awesome when a speaker has that kind of impact on a group of students.”
Mullen also spoke about the dangers of tobacco, drugs, alcohol and other risk behaviors to the students.
