Students gathered in the northwest parking lot to watch not just another typical anti-tobacco assembly.

The ASA High School Tour visited Blue Valley on Friday, Sept. 13. The tour provided anti-tobacco facts for students while watching five professional skateboarders and BMX riders perform. Students received prizes, autographs and pictures from the performers as well.

“I think students had a lot more fun watching the BMX than a regular assembly, so it had a bigger impact on students staying away from tobacco,” junior Kamandeep Dhanoa said.

The $20,000 program was delivered to the students at no cost due to donations from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a partner of the ASA High School Tour.

“I think it held [students’] attention because it related to what some students like,” junior Tanner Neath said. “Instead of having a speaker, it kept their attention with flip tricks while learning about how bad smoking is.”

However, many students said they didn’t understand how the skateboarding and anti-tobacco message related to each other during the assembly.

“I didn’t get it because BMXing is really dangerous, too,” senior Morgan Turner said. “But I thought it was interesting, and I liked having class off.”