Students in classes who remained smoke-free for six months then competed for prizes through a series of sport and quiz challenges (Photo: Fondation Cancer)

Students in classes who remained smoke-free for six months then competed for prizes through a series of sport and quiz challenges (Photo: Fondation Cancer)

The day of fun on the Place d’Armes was actually the final stage of a larger competition in which 2,209 students aged between 12 and16 participated. This year 114 classes attempted the competition, meaning they agreed not to smoke for six months.

If a class had over 10% of students smoking, it was out of the running. A total of 97 classes succeeded, or 85%, which the Cancer Foundation considers “a good track record”.

Students from the European School of Luxembourg I, under teacher Teemu Hinkula, had cause to celebrate: they won first prize, namely an afternoon in an adventure climbing park.

First-place winners will be heading to an adventure climbing park
The first-place winners will be heading to an adventure climbing park. Photo: Fondation Cancer 

Second place went to students at the Lycée Josy Barthel Mamer (teacher Stéphanie Halsdorf), who won a cooking workshop, and third place to students at the Lycée Hubert Clément Esch/Alzette (teacher François Faber).

Lucienne Thommes, physician and director of the Cancer Foundation, said: “With this competition, we want to ensure that the first contact with cigarettes is already avoided in order to prevent cancers.”