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Seventh grade students at Southwest Charter School in Portland are starting a petition to ban smoking in Portland public parks (The Oregonian).

An enterprising group of Southwest Portland seventh graders is turning a class project into a formal push for a citywide smoking ban in public parks.

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Students at Southwest Charter School canvassed the neighborhood surrounding their school earlier this month collecting petition signatures.

The students in Sarah Anderson's class are participating in a class room assignment called "Project Citizen" where they choose an issue facing their community and settle on a solution to address the problem.

According to Anderson, the students have the support of State Rep. Mitch Greenlick and have contacted the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. The class started an online petition as well.

Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who oversees the Bureau of Parks & Recreation, already instructed the citizen-run Portland Parks Board to examine a smoking ban in the city's 209 parks. Fritz staffers say nothing is imminent.

In letters sent to The Oregonian, the students told stories about loved ones who died from smoking-related diseases, the perils of peer pressure and second hand smoke and cited other cities that have enacted similar bans.

Here's a sampling from a couple of the student letters sent to The Oregonian:

William Britton: "I want to tell you a story about my grandmother. Her name was Cheryl. She died from lung cancer. Heavy stuff huh? Now I'm not sure exactly how she started, but I can bet my money that people around her influenced her starting. If we can minimize the amount of smokers in public areas, it will be less likely that kids will see them and think it is an acceptable thing."

Reagan Cox: "I do think that citizens should have liberty to do what they wish, but not when it is hurting other people. Smokers would still be able to smoke on their own property, and citizens can enjoy themselves in the park, without having to deal with smoke filling the air."

Reading

The Oregonian: Portland Public Water District measure trounced by voters

The Oregonian: Nick Fish and Dan Saltzman cruise to election night victories

The Oregonian: Failed Water District measure will help Portland (Opinion)

Willamette Week: Street fee goes to City Council next week

-- Andrew Theen