The Girls’s Housing and Financial Growth Company (WHEDco) created its Simply Ask ME (JAM) program from an modern thought to face teen being pregnant and well being disparities points for youngsters within the South Bronx. The group developed age-appropriate classes for third by fifth grade college students in its After College Enrichment Program at PS/IS 218 Rafael Hernández Twin Language Magnet College — a program referred to as “JAM Jr.” The JAM program expanded to 2 further faculties within the South Bronx this fallL the Highbridge Inexperienced College and South Bronx Early Faculty Academy Constitution College.
In accordance with Katie Shillman, well being schooling coordinator at WHEDco, in an interview with the AmNews, “Jam has been round for over 10 years … there’s been loads of points exterior reproductive well being which might be impacting our college students, so we’ve expanded this system to incorporate … social media and web security. I’ve helped develop these lesson plans … for sixth to eighth grade.”
Including extra faculties is predicted to vastly improve program attain. “Previously years, we’ve reached about 130 to 140 college students, and this ear we’re on monitor to succeed in over 700 college students, so we’re increasing this system very quickly this 12 months which could be very thrilling,” stated Shillman.
On the coronary heart of JAM is its peer-led programming the place high-school and faculty college students are educated to steer workshops on matters from psychological well being to drug and alcohol consciousness, to different matters described above.
In accordance with Shillman, “native college students who primarily have graduated from JAM themselves have gone to the center faculties that we train at, in order that they’re highschool college students. This 12 months, we’ve additionally expanded that part to incorporate native faculty and grad college students as properly.”
Shillman works with cohorts of school and graduate college students who’re majoring in nursing, social work, and different health-related fields, “which has been a extremely wonderful expertise to assist empower these budding professionals and pupil leaders locally to assist train college students within the space.”
WHEDco has a exact means of evaluating beneficial properties and outcomes of this system. In accordance with Shillman, “we do pre- and post-testing all through the years and there’s fairly clear progress. We now have six to eight periods with every class, protecting all these totally different matters, and information at all times will increase annually … there’s a fairly stark distinction with what info they find yourself with and the way a lot info they bear in mind over time.”
Shillman attributed a lot of “ this nice progress that we see” to the repetition of data, in contrast to in Division of Training (DOE) faculties, the place “usually you get it as soon as in center college and also you get it as soon as in highschool, and that’s it,” she stated. “We see that it’s a lot simpler to be reintroducing that info, increasing upon that info.”
Shillman defined that not solely is there elevated information for college kids, which is this system’s major aim, but additionally “it’s at all times unimaginable, having these conversations with the scholars through the workshops … you see that capability to create that neighborhood the place they’ll discuss these extra delicate matters. We’re focusing extra on wholesome relationships and consent … you see the gears of their head turning and so they’re in a position to speak concerning the drama and the gossip of their faculties in a bit of bit extra elevated, educated means.”
Shillman stated she sees “the principle impacts … are three-fold with the precise information improve annually and … they’re in a position to get entangled, turning into peer educators themselves; having the ability to tackle management roles; having the ability to present that information and sources for youthful college students of their neighborhood and develop as youth advocates, which is unimaginable to see in these communities.”
Shillman famous that this system can also be increasing “not simply to our graduates of the JAM program, however any highschool pupil, faculty pupil, within the space who’s captivated with well being schooling; who needs to get entangled, get good expertise educating and dealing with college students. That’s undoubtedly one thing that we’re attempting to recruit for.”
One other aim is to increase JAM “previous our companion faculties ultimately and have the ability to do one-off workshops in different faculties which might be related for his or her communities,” Shillman stated. “A variety of thrilling issues are occurring.”
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