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Internet Safety Lesson
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DWI Awareness
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Abstinence/STD Awareness Activity
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DWI Awareness and Prevention
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Forever Friends-Prejudice Awareness
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Abstinence/Teen Pregnancy Awareness
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Abstinence/Teen Pregnancy Awareness
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Abstinence/Teen Pregnancy Awareness
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Nutrition/Obesity and Fitness Awareness
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SERVICE LEARNING NEWS…
FIRST SEMESTER SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTED
HEALTH DEPARTMENT-HEALTH FAIR
The Health Department was given the directive to infuse Service Learning into the mandatory Health Course. This course is generally taken by 10th graders with a few 11th and 12th graders. The Health instructors determined that for their first Service Learning experience (in the 10th Grade Health course), they would offer the students the chance to implement a Health Fair with the main focal point being “Teen Health.”
Students were given the opportunity to brainstorm Health issues facing today’s teens. Once the issues were chosen, students then decided which issue they wanted to research in small groups. The goal was to research a relevant teen Health issue and to then design a creative way to educate other teens on that specific issue. Students were directed that their end product was to be factually correct, interactive, and educational.
On Friday, January 11, 2008, after a semester of research and design, Health students implemented the first ever “student designed” Health Fair in the Counseling Center with the target population being the Physical Education classes. By inviting these classes, the Health Fair would then have the potential to educate one half of the student population.
Health students were empowered throughout periods 1-7 to put up their displays and to interact with the participants, educating them on various topics in creative manners. The following is a partial list of the highlights of this event.
Internet Safety
Three students implemented an Internet Safety program entitled, “netSAFE” for all 7 periods. This presentation took place in Room 500. Jacqui Kemp, Nicole Berntsen, and Kristina Halwick Their goal was to create student awareness concerning the safety and potential dangers of the internet. The “student instructors” implemented a lesson complete with a skit, a video about a young girl thinking she was talking on line to another young girl, participants examining sample chat rooms including interesting facts about MySpace, Facebook, and other websites. The 3 students handed out bookmarks with internet safety tips and also handed out handmade brochures on internet safety.
This program was extremely well received…The girls said they loved working on this project and learned so much from Mrs. Lara Gialombardo who assisted the girls in the development of their program. All three said they think a program like this should continue to educate as many students as possible about internet dangers and safety tips.
Domestic Violence
During periods 5 and 6, a victim/survivor of domestic abuse spoke to spellbound students in Room 419. The idea of having this guest speaker was the brainstorm of Adam Tefel, Adam Morgan, David Granberry, and Davianna McCartney. The speaker, “Susan”, had been a recent guest on the Oprah Show and had accepted the students’ invitation to speak. For two periods, the speaker had the students’ total attention as she spoke of her story and her will to live. Listening to the stories of abuse first hand brought home the reality of this problem in our society. This was a speaker who was an inspiration to those who had the opportunity to listen to her.
Physical Fitness
Several students invited experts on Self Defense, Martial Arts, and Physical Fitness stressing anything from stress reduction, life time fitness, and getting involved in healthy alternatives to gangs and drugs. The guest speakers demonstrated techniques to large crowds who were truly interested in learning something new!
Abstinence/STD Awareness
Another group captivated their participants with a STD awareness activity emphasizing just how easily STDs can be spread when teens do not think about the consequences to their actions. Brandon Tyson, Kristian Barbato, Melissa LePore and Nick LoVullo implemented the “STD/Fluid Experiment” where a group of 10 students at a time were given a small glass of “fluid”…9 had just water but one had sodium hydroxide. No one knew who had the “infected” glass. They were then instructed to pour their sample of their cup of fluid into the cups of at least 4-5 other people in the group. After everyone had finished “sharing”, the “student instructors” then placed a droplet of phenalthaline into each cup. If the water turned purple, it indicated contamination…if the water stayed clear, it indicated no contamination. The symbolism was indicating how easy it is to contract an STD if people chose to be sexually active…participants were shocked at the results as were many observers surrounding the area. The student instructors ended with stressing the importance of abstinence in preventing STDs. This booth was a huge success throughout the day.
DWI Awareness and Prevention
Several groups incorporated activities around DWI prevention including using the “imitation goggles” with the daylong assistance of State Trooper Mark O’Donnell, a graduate of Gates Chili. Sondra Mellema and Samantha Smeal were two of the “student instructors” who incorporated the goggles into their presentation. They said that even though they were nervous at first, the best thing about doing the Health Fair was all the participation and attention while people attempted to do tasks while wearing the goggles. These student instructors definitely recommended doing this again because they said it was a fun way to teach and inform people. “Students might not realize they are learning while having fun, but they really are!”
Forever Friends: Prejudice Awareness
One group created a jeopardy game with facts on prejudice and racism. The booth, entitled, “Forever Friends” was constantly swarmed with participants who were amazed at some of the answers. Paula Culhane, who ran the booth for several periods with other members of her group, said that the best thing about this booth was that “it helped people see that we are all different on the outside but really the same on the inside.” She said she would definitely recommend doing this again and that she learned so much about racism and prejudice that she never thought of before.
Abstinence/Teen Pregnancy Awareness
Several booths stressed the topic of abstinence as the main way to prevent teen pregnancy and STDs. Phobe Amoko, Sara Marvin, Dezeree Ballard, Pam Zambuto and Jasmine Washington made up one group focusing on Abstinence as a way to prevent teen pregnancy. They had (simulated) crying baby and informational pamphlets on Teen Pregnancy and on Abstinence. Phoebe Amoko Stated that one thing she learned was that a lot of teen girls are losing education due to teen pregnancy.
Another group of student instructors, Kent Gover, Dave Scribani and Katelynn Vane, also stressed abstinence by implementing a diaper changing race…asking students if they really think they are ready for the realities of teen pregnancy. One member of the group said that the Health Fair was an important activity for students to do because “youth can have concerns about the world too.”
Hunting Safety
One group created a Hunter Safety Video and an activity on Driver Safety. The home made video was previewed by teachers, administrators and a state trooper for accuracy and appropriateness
Nutrition/Obesity and Fitness
Several hit on the topic of Nutrition, Obesity, and Fitness with interesting interactive games and tests including Jeopardy. Neil Anderson, Kira DiTucci, and Ashley Eick had participants put on a weighted book bag and then try to do certain activities to see what it was like to have extra weight. They said they learned a lot from researching their topic and said they would watch what they eat because “if effects our health more than we thought.”These are just examples of the many booths that were available all day. The counseling center was filled all day with displays, demonstrations, participation, and excitement.
To say this project was a success is an understatement. Health students found a sense of accomplishment and pride as Physical Education students wandered up to their booths to participate.
Not only did this activity meet the criteria of Service Learning, it also met the intrinsic goals of Service Learning including that of student positive self esteem, and the belief that they can make a difference in the lives of others. The Health Education students and their teachers, Ms. Theresa Barron, Mrs. Janell Bernas, and Mrs. Karen Hale are to be commended on a job well done.
Please see the photo gallery on the Health Fair for additional photographs of this event.
