First Sports Challenge and Health Fair to be held Sunday

Students Oppose Smoking (SAS) and the Montgomery County Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) are holding the first annual Sports Challenge & Health Fair on Sunday, June 3, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The smoke-free event will be held at the Bauer Drive Community Center in Rockville. For free admission, students can participate in various sports challenges.

The event's purpose is to promote a healthy lifestyle of exercising, eating right and remaining drug and tobacco free. "I hope teens will learn that drug-abuse and making unhealthy decisions is not the way to go," said YAC co-chair Nikki Duong.

Basketball, volleyball, football, and soccer games will be the main events of the afternoon. County Council member Phil Andrews will host a tennis challenge. Other specially invited guests include County executive Ike Leggett and State Attorney John McCarthy.

The event will also have booths with games and prizes. Area radio station Hot 99.5 will provide music and karaoke, and free refreshments will be provided.

The event's organizers, the YAC, are a group of middle and high school students from the county dedicated to increasing awareness of teen-relevant societal issues by hosting drug and smoke-free events. Teens interested in joining the YAC will be able to pick up applications at the event. "The YAC gives us [teens] an opportunity to actually do something, take charge, and give back to our community, " said Duong.