Here's a quick pop quiz:
If a friend is drowning, you should...
A) Jump in the water and swim them to safety
B) Throw a rope or reach for them from the shore
Nearly fifty percent (50%) of the students in one Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) summer program classroom answered "A." And that's wrong...the kind of wrong that could be deadly. But by the end of class, every single student knew the mantra, "Reach or throw, don't go," proving that a little education really can save a life.
This summer, the Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross and SEI created a new partnership designed to give more than 700 students an introduction to emergency preparedness and prevention. "We developed the curriculum by looking at all the youth courses we teach -- from first aid to water safety -- and pulling information from each one," said Dave Brooke, Health and Safety program manager. "That way, each course includes specialized content that corresponds with the grade level of the students."
On Wednesdays and Thursdays through the end of July, Red Cross instructors are teaching four classes each day, ranging from 35 to 45 minutes long. Each class has approximately 25 students. "The courses include a pre-test, post-test and homework so we can gauge the effectiveness of the content," Brooke said. "Ideally, we'd like to go back in six months and test the kids to see if they've retained the information."
Answers from the SEI students have proven to be both enlightning and humorous. When asked to name two pool safety rules, several children responded with "Don't pee in the pool" and "Don't drink the water."
If you'd like to learn more about the new Red Cross safety classes for SEI's elementary or middle school summer program students, please contact Lise Harwin, communications director, at 503-969-7474.
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In Oregon, the American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disaster every 36 hours; provides 97 percent of Oregon's blood supply; teaches thousands of Oregonians lifesaving skills; provides transportation to seniors and the disabled; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross-pdx.org or join the conversation on our blog at www.redcrosspdx.blogspot.com.
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