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Publication Date

10-22-2015

Academic Preceptors

John Costa, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; Denise Curran, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

City

Philadelphia, PA

Keywords

Oral Health, Cardiovascular Health, Physical Fitness and Activity, Nutrition

Comments

Project Goals

  • To provide the child and adolescent residents of Haddington Townhouses with an educational and fun program that keeps them active and mentally stimulated during their summer break
  • To learn about the health disparities in underserved areas and devise ideas to fix them
  • To provide a safe and healthy environment for kids to learn and be a listening ear for any kid that needs to talk
  • To teach about how to have a healthy lifestyle and the consequences of not taking care of one's cardiovascular health
  • To teach "money smarts" - core values on making, spending, and budgeting money

Personal Statements

"This past summer has been a truly enriching experience. We learned how to engage a variety of age groups in both educational and fun activities. We learned how to manage a large group of children and also developed personal relationships with each child. We learned that many of these children take what happens at home to camp and it's not always pleasant. A child may be acting out because something traumatic has happened to them, not because they are a "bad kid". We became aware of some of the disparities in healthcare as well. We saw how many of these children want someone to confide in and trust and we hope we served as that person for them, even if it was just for a short amount of time. Overall, this experience was extremely valuable and we hope to be able to use the lessons we leaned in our future careers as doctors."

"This summer has taught me what it truly means to be a strong educator to children and adolescents. Not only does careful and immense planning need to be involved to make sure the kids receive a fully enriching experience, but strong diligence must be used to manage the kids through the activities. This summer, I was also amazed by the services of Haddington Townhouses. To provide their residents with more than just housing and a safe and engaging environment to send their children throughout the summer is truly remarkable. Working with the children and staff of Haddington was a great pleasure."

Summer Enrichment at Haddington Townhouses Better Tomorrows

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