Chantal M. Lovell, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/25/2010 08:06:09 PM PDT
Updated: 07/25/2010 08:24:02 PM PDT
Self-esteem and healthful living were the focus for a group of kids at Burrage Mansion last week.
They were chosen to take part in a Kaiser Permanente program designed to empower low-income, middle school students to lead healthier, happier lives. Kaiser employees taught the free week-long MPOWR Program for 20 youths in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Redlands.
"Kaiser Permanente has a social mission to improve the health of the communities we serve," said Jennifer Resch-
Silvestri, the area director of public affairs for Kaiser Permanente. "This program is part of that investment to improve the health of our communities and eradicate health disparities. We do that by looking for opportunities in underserved communities."
The kids, from the Boys & Girls Clubs' Waterman Gardens and Brockton sites, spent the week learning how to make healthy snacks, writing, acting and doing crafts.
"The children are placed through a curriculum, which includes health and nutritional awareness, media and advertising awareness so they can be more objective consumers, and instruction on self image, where they explore methods of self expression and build self esteem," Resch-Silvestri said.
Kids learned how to make healthy snacks, like fruit kabobs, or drinks with watermelon and club soda, said manager Margie Gutierrez. They also learned ways to incorporate environmentally friendly habits into their lives. They learned to reuse household items to make
things like masks and terrariums.
They also spent time honing their writing skills, writing their thoughts in a journal and developing those ideas into scripts and more, said Karla Melendez, a booking coordinator for Kaiser Permanente.
The kids took those scripts and acted out public service announcements as groups, then made those into videos, Melendez said.
"The point of the overall program is to promote self-esteem," Melendez said.
Mark Davis, the director of program service at the Boys & Girls Club of Redlands, said they chose kids they thought could most benefit from the experience.
"We sent the ones we really felt needed some camp experience and health-related activities and mentorship," Davis said. "Middle school is a tough group to have to work with. They are going through a lot of transitions in life.
"They're trying to figure where they fit in, but they're still impressionable, and you can still mold and change their lives and redirect them in a positive way."
Melendez said she thought the program, which has been held throughout the Inland Empire but never in Redlands, went well and accomplished what was intended. She said the low kid-to-teacher ratio might have had the most positive impact.
"The kids really get a sense that they do matter, and the fact that the teachers pay attention to them in a very specific way gave them a real sense of sense of self-worth and self-confidence," Melendez said.
From Dirito.com published on 07/25/2010 08:24:02 PM PDT