SOUTHWESTERN AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER — SOUTHWESTERN AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER

National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine Scholarship Recipients!!!

Samantha — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:25:27 +0000

Great news!!!! YHSC members, Jaydeen Sewell (right, third person from the left) from Central High school and Athanasios (Sakis) Panolis (below, middle) from Stratford High School, were both selected to receive the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine Scholarship!!!!! This was an opportunity granted through a partnership between University of Bridgeport and Southwest AHEC. Southwest YHSC coordinators designed an application process and opened up this opportunity to the 4 high schools they serve in. Although the two chosen candidates were up against many other competitors, their application and personality is what granted them this 10 day all expense paid trip to New York this upcoming summer! They will have the oppotunity to enjoy New York’s finest Hospitals and Med Schools while shadowing the most prestigious Dr.’s and Nurses; they will even view surgeries, and check vital signs! Congrats to the both of them, we’re sure this will be an experience you both will never forget!

YHSC Alumni shares experience being in YHSC Program!

Samantha — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:33:25 +0000

Alumni Jenny Louis shares her experiences being in the program, and how it has impacted her!

To the YHSC coordinators and students:

Hello everyone! I hope this school year is going well for you all and that you are learning a lot through the Youth Health Service Corps program!

First off, I should introduce myself: My name is Jenny Louis and like you all, I was a member of YHSC when I attended Warren Harding Medical Careers Magnet High School, which was around August 2007 to June 2011. I was first acquainted with YHSC as a freshmen in the Medical Magnet and throughout my four years in high school, I remained an active participant in the YHSC program. Through Youth Health Service Corps, I was able to build a foundation for my future profession in the health field. I was able to obtain CPR/First Aid training and get certified and in my senior year, I was able to participate in a service project, teaching 7^th graders about STIs. These are just some of the countless things this program has helped me achieve and hopefully, it did so to for the other students who were in it with me.

Currently, I am a sophomore at Russell Sage College in Troy, NY. I am majoring in Health Sciences leading to my doctorate in Physical therapy (I’m in the 3+3 program, meaning that I do 3 years of undergraduate study and then 3 years of graduate study to obtain my DPT) and I also have a minor in Psychology. College life is stressful, but worth it, especially when you are doing something you love.

I feel as though the Medical Magnet and YHSC programs have also played a part in me feeling secure about the profession I am going for now. Though I knew what I wanted to be for the last 13 years of my life, without these two programs introducing me to other health professions and how vital the medical/health field is, I wouldn’t be able to say that I am a 100% sure that I want to be a physical therapist.

So in conclusion, hopefully you guys will take full advantage of the program and explore what professions are appealing to you and what qualities you possess that would make you a good fit to whatever you chose to do. I know that high school just like college is a very stressful time where you have to constantly adjust yourself; but by putting forth the effort and willingness to succeed in all you do, you will make it very far, and I hope that all of you do in school, life and in the Youth Health Service Corps program. J

Sincerely a YHSC Alum,

Jenny Louis

Stratford High Students Present Projects to Upperclassmen!

Samantha — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:27:38 +0000

Monday, January 7, 2013, Health/Medical Career students at Stratford High presented their 1st semester service learning projects to seniors at the high school. Their presentations were very informative, and taught the seniors information, statistics, and facts they had never heard before! The YHSC members as well as the senior audience really enjoyed these presentations as topics relevant to teenagers were thoroughly discussed; bullying, teen drunk driving, tanning, teen pregnancy, etc.

Service Learning Project Presentations; Teen Drunk Driving, Teen Pregnancy, Bullying

Samantha — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:29:20 +0000

On Thursday, December 20, 2012, YHSC members in their Health/Medical Careers class had great success with their service learning project presentations. Students discussed topics such as Bullying, Teen Pregnancy, Teen Drink Driving, STDs, etc to students in the school. These were presented to spread awareness about social/health issues that are prevalent among teenagers in an effort to get students to make healthier choices when faced with common teenage obstacles.

Harding Students Present Service Learning Project on Healthy Choices

Samantha — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:16:44 +0000

On Tuesday, December 18, 2012, YHSC members in their Health/Medical Careers class had great success with their service learning project presentations. Students discussed topics such as Bullying, Teen Pregnancy, Gang Violence, etc to students in the school. These were presented to spread awareness about social/health issues that are prevalent among teenagers in an effort to get students to make healthier choices when faced with common teenage obstacles.

Holiday Cards for Patients at St. Vincent’s Hospital

Jscholz — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:26:22 +0000

Members of the Youth Health Service Corps at Bunnell High School in Stratford, CT recently got together to create Holiday Cards for patients at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport. In total, the students designed over 50 cards! The beautiful cards were filled with good wishes for all of those who are ill and in the hospital during this holiday season. They will be distributed to various patient floors at St. Vincent’s throughout the month of December.

Intensive Care Unit Pediatric Nurse Speaks to Harding High School Students!

Samantha — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:43:58 +0000

A Pediatric Nurse from Yale New Haven Hospital spoke to Harding High School students on Tuesday, November 13, 2012. She shared with them her experiences being a nurse in the intensive care unit, and her journey toward her current profession. The students were very engaged and interested in the speaker’s life as a nurse, and became very knowledgable about what steps they should be taking as high school students in order to become a Registered Nurse. Many students became interested in becoming a nurse after this great guest speaker shared her story!

Hurricane Sandy!

Meredith — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:39:40 +0000

Hurricane Sandy has disrupted the power to our office at 5520 Park Avenue in Trumbull. This means that our Phone, E-mail and Internet services are affected, and, we are unable to access our office until the power is restored.

Please bear with us – if necessary please reach us on our cell phones: Meredith – 203 455-1135; Joan – 203 338-1067 and Millie: 203 338-1291. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

The Southwestern AHEC Experience

Samantha — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 19:35:16 +0000

On October 19, 2012, all 17 Youth Health Service Corps/Collegiate Health Service Corps 2012-2013 AmeriCorps members gathered at Southwestern CT AHEC. Three AmeriCorps hosts from the Southwest site, put together an event that would introduce the other members to the Stratford and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. The day was filled with activities such as a tour of the schools where the AmeriCorps members teach, lunch at Captain’s Pizza House, and to top it all off a trip to the Beardsley Zoo!

Southwestern AHEC to Celebrate National Infant Immunization Week

Joan — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:04:20 +0000

Southwestern AHEC will celebrate National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) by hosting our 6th annual Mother’s Day Socials. On April 28th, mothers and pregnant women will be learn about vaccines for childhood preventable diseases through a short presentation and a BINGO learning activity. In addition, a dental hygienist will talk about oral health of the mother and young child. Refreshments and small giveaways will be provided, and there will be activities for pre-schoolers. AHEC’s program is coordinated with the Bridgeport WIC Program, and will be held in the morning at the Optimus Health Care WIC Program Office, and in the afternoon at the Southwest Community Health Center WIC Program Office. For information call Joan or Millie at (203) 372-5503.