We've now completed week two of STRIDES and delivered four sessions to 10 students at Olympic High School. It's been great to begin deepening our relationships with the students and getting a feel for what engages them in the classroom and motivates them during our physical activity sessions.
This week's sessions presented us with similar challenges to those that we faced during week one. Two new students were added to the health class, so we spent a small amount of time explaining the program we developed for their class and taking questions. While this again affected the amount of time we had for physical activity, we tried to be mindful of time to ensure that students would have adequate time to complete the activities we planned for them.
We also learned to be flexible during the physical activity component, as new participants can change the dynamic of the group. It can be challenging trying to predict the energy level of individuals and how that will affect the group; however, we're hopeful that our lessons on goal setting will be instructive for us as well as for the students. This will give all participants the opportunity to think about their personal goals for STRIDES - as it relates to completing a 5k - and share these goals with the group. Anne and I will then be able to tailor certain activities to meet the group's needs, brainstorm stepping stones to reach the students' individual goals, and provide motivation throughout the program.
It goes without saying that the highlight of our week was when one of our students entered the classroom and greeted us with, "This is why I look forward to Mondays and Wednesdays!" (It should be noted, though, that the runner up highlight was when one student guessed that the distance we completed during a physical activity session was only a quarter of a mile when we had actually done a combination of running and walking for a mile and a half.)
We look forward to continuing to share our progress with you as we work toward the STRIDES Community 5k Run/Walk on November 21.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Reflections on the First Week of STRIDES
STRIDES sessions started on September 13 at Olympic High School! We met with OHS students during their health class on Monday and Wednesday this week, and will continue meeting with the students on Mondays and Wednesdays until the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk on Sunday, November 21.
It felt so great to finally meet the students and start doing what we have been planning for so long! We had anticipated having to win the students over and really having to motivate them to participate in physical activity. However, our first day of STRIDES found us with a few students who were totally excited to get outside for some fresh air and physical activity. They could NOT get over the fancy water bottles from Title Nine that were donated for them! We went for a group walk and took the time to get to know each other and learn about their interests.
Our second STRIDES session presented us with two very real challenges. First, a lack of consistent attendance means that we had 4 new participants for Session 2 and only one participant from Session 1. We had to spend a good deal of time reviewing what STRIDES is about and the group rules. Thankfully, most of the lessons can be beneficial as individual sessions, without needing to be built upon another lesson. However, Ashley and I will need to be really strategic in keeping students up to date on what we have been learning while still having time to focus on the day's lesson.
Secondly, this session's students acted more as we had expected students to act about the program. It took them some time to warm up to the idea of running or walking during our sessions, but everyone gave it a shot and some who said they wouldn't run were actually running by the end! It was really important for Ashley and I to stay positive and encourage everyone to just try it out at whatever pace feels comfortable for them. This program is about setting a goal and achieving it with the help of your peers and the coaches, but the student is the person in charge of setting a comfortable goal....be it walk a 5k, run some of a 5k, or run the whole thing.
We were so impressed by the students we met this week. Even if they tested us out a bit a first, they all participated with very little resistance. They all have goals they want to achieve outside of STRIDES and varying interests and experiences that will make for great discussions during STRIDES sessions. We can't wait for next week!
It felt so great to finally meet the students and start doing what we have been planning for so long! We had anticipated having to win the students over and really having to motivate them to participate in physical activity. However, our first day of STRIDES found us with a few students who were totally excited to get outside for some fresh air and physical activity. They could NOT get over the fancy water bottles from Title Nine that were donated for them! We went for a group walk and took the time to get to know each other and learn about their interests.
Our second STRIDES session presented us with two very real challenges. First, a lack of consistent attendance means that we had 4 new participants for Session 2 and only one participant from Session 1. We had to spend a good deal of time reviewing what STRIDES is about and the group rules. Thankfully, most of the lessons can be beneficial as individual sessions, without needing to be built upon another lesson. However, Ashley and I will need to be really strategic in keeping students up to date on what we have been learning while still having time to focus on the day's lesson.
Secondly, this session's students acted more as we had expected students to act about the program. It took them some time to warm up to the idea of running or walking during our sessions, but everyone gave it a shot and some who said they wouldn't run were actually running by the end! It was really important for Ashley and I to stay positive and encourage everyone to just try it out at whatever pace feels comfortable for them. This program is about setting a goal and achieving it with the help of your peers and the coaches, but the student is the person in charge of setting a comfortable goal....be it walk a 5k, run some of a 5k, or run the whole thing.
We were so impressed by the students we met this week. Even if they tested us out a bit a first, they all participated with very little resistance. They all have goals they want to achieve outside of STRIDES and varying interests and experiences that will make for great discussions during STRIDES sessions. We can't wait for next week!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
STRIDES 5k Run/Walk
Join us at Dockweiler Beach on November 21 for our community 5k run/walk! Register here.If you'd like to advertise for the race at your school, place of work, or another location, please email STRIDESLA@gmail.com for copies of the race flyer.
We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of STRIDES participants with you!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Reposted: Five Questions for a Fellow
The entry below is reposted from Beyond Boulders: Blog of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship.
For Anne Sutkowi and Ashley Roberts (above), running is more than just a hobby—it’s a passion that has sustained them through difficult times, taught them the value of teamwork, and ultimately empowered them to live confident, healthy lives.
So it’s no surprise that as Schweitzer Fellows, these UCLA Master of Public Health students are translating that passion into STRIDES—a program that uses skill-building and 5k training sessions to decrease suicide risk factors by increasing self-esteem and social support among Olympic High School students.
Olympic is one of California’s continuation high schools—state law-mandated programs that provide an alternative path to a diploma for “students vulnerable to academic or behavioral failure.” Read on to find out the ways in which Roberts and Sutkowi’s STRIDES program—which will officially launch on September 13th—will address risk factors for these students.
Why did you decide to develop your particular project?
Roberts and Sutkowi: Suicide is an important and preventable public health concern. In the United States and in Los Angeles County, it is the third leading cause of death among adolescents ages 15-24. Youth at continuation high schools are at risk for multiple physical and mental health issues – including suicide – because they often lack self-esteem, social support, and appropriate coping skills.
Successful suicide prevention for adolescents includes individualized interventions based on identified risk factors and strengthening of social support networks. STRIDES, our running and mentorship program, will focus on reducing risk factors identified through a focus group conducted with youth at Olympic High School and strengthening students’ social support networks.
Running is an outlet through which we both manage stress, set and achieve personal goals, and maintain our physical health, and we are excited to provide Olympic High School youth an opportunity to experience the personal benefits of running. Our hope is that by training for and completing the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk, youth will be inspired to set new personal goals and have the confidence in their abilities to achieve them.
What do you hope will be the lasting impact of your project on the community it serves?
Roberts and Sutkowi: The ultimate goal of STRIDES is to reduce suicidality among Olympic High School students. We hope the youth who complete the program learn invaluable lessons about themselves and useful life skills through the training process and culminating STRIDES 5k Run/Walk.
STRIDES will also give students at Olympic High School an opportunity to build lasting friendships with their peers through skill-building activities and team training for the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk. Once we have completed one cycle of the program, we hope to expand STRIDES by reaching out to more continuation high schools.
The STRIDES 5k Run/Walk aims to benefit both the youth participants and the community at large. For the STRIDES participants, it is the chance to accomplish the goal for which they have been training throughout the 10-week program and share their accomplishment with their peers and community. For the community, it is an opportunity to raise awareness about continuation high schools and that suicide is a preventable problem that can and should be addressed by everyone.
What do you think is the most pressing health-related issue of our time, and how do you think it should be addressed?
Sutkowi: Substance Abuse. Tobacco, alcohol, and illicit substance use are all named on the top 10 list of actual causes of death in the United States. But as public health professionals, our goal is not only to keep people alive but also to advance people’s physical, mental, and social well-being.
Substance abuse is a problem for all people, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or sexual orientation. It must be addressed on individual, community, and societal levels. Healthcare providers have a responsibility to identify people with substance abuse and dependence, provide them with resources for appropriate care, and prescribe medications responsibly.
Positive youth development programs have been demonstrated as an effective public health approach to the substance abuse problem. We hope that, by providing STRIDES participants with opportunities to be involved with their communities and to build self-esteem and self-efficacy, we will also reduce substance abuse – an important suicide risk factor for youth.
Roberts: Eliminating health disparities. Article 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his [sic] family.” And yet, one of the two goals of Healthy People 2010 was to eliminate health disparities, which are still a stark reality in American society. Unfortunately, these disparities may expand before they contract, as demographers expect the groups that currently experience poorer health outcomes to grow proportionally over the next decade.
Eliminating health disparities will require the concerted effort of policymakers and advocates to ensure that all Americans have access to preventive and clinical health care, affordable education, and social services. Additionally, public health professionals have the responsibility to appropriately identify high-risk groups and create targeted programs to meet their needs.
We hope that STRIDES will begin to decrease the suicide risk factors that make students at continuation high schools disproportionately at risk for suicide, when compared to their peers at comprehensive high schools.
What has been the most surprising element of your experience as Schweitzer Fellows?
Sutkowi: Having never heard of the Schweitzer Fellowship before beginning my graduate program at UCLA, I continue to be surprised by how many people I come across that have heard of the Fellowship. People from many professional fields and many areas of the country have heard of the Schweitzer Fellowship because Schweitzer Fellows are building positive relationships within communities and making lasting impacts with the individuals and communities in which they are working.
Roberts: What has surprised me most is not the variety of health issues that the Los Angeles Fellows are attempting to tackle, but rather the ingenuity with which they are addressing these issues. It has been instructive to collaborate with individuals from various health-related fields and begin to better understand new tactics for health interventions. I feel honored to be part of such a creative group.
What does being a Schweitzer Fellow mean to you?
Sutkowi: Being a Schweitzer Fellow means belonging to a group of professionals and students who care about their communities and feel a responsibility to help other people. As a Schweitzer Fellow, I feel inspired by other Fellows to be productive and to continue incorporating community service into my career as a public health professional.
Roberts: To me, being a Schweitzer Fellow is an exciting opportunity to put the skills I’m learning in my public health program to use in my community. I also see this as a chance to get to know the health needs of youth in Los Angeles on a deeper and more meaningful level. Finally, like Anne mentioned, the community of Schweitzer Fellows provide an invaluable forum in which I can explore new ideas about how to respond to pressing public health issues in innovative and sustainable ways.
Ashley Roberts and Anne Sutkowi are Schweitzer Fellows in Los Angeles, CA. Click here to read more about The Los Angeles Schweitzer Fellows Program and the Fellows like Roberts and Sutkowi it supports in creating and carrying out yearlong direct service projects. To make a gift to The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship in honor of Roberts’ and Sutkowi’s efforts to empower Los Angeles’ continuation high school students, click here.
For Anne Sutkowi and Ashley Roberts (above), running is more than just a hobby—it’s a passion that has sustained them through difficult times, taught them the value of teamwork, and ultimately empowered them to live confident, healthy lives.
So it’s no surprise that as Schweitzer Fellows, these UCLA Master of Public Health students are translating that passion into STRIDES—a program that uses skill-building and 5k training sessions to decrease suicide risk factors by increasing self-esteem and social support among Olympic High School students.
Olympic is one of California’s continuation high schools—state law-mandated programs that provide an alternative path to a diploma for “students vulnerable to academic or behavioral failure.” Read on to find out the ways in which Roberts and Sutkowi’s STRIDES program—which will officially launch on September 13th—will address risk factors for these students.
Why did you decide to develop your particular project?
Roberts and Sutkowi: Suicide is an important and preventable public health concern. In the United States and in Los Angeles County, it is the third leading cause of death among adolescents ages 15-24. Youth at continuation high schools are at risk for multiple physical and mental health issues – including suicide – because they often lack self-esteem, social support, and appropriate coping skills.
Successful suicide prevention for adolescents includes individualized interventions based on identified risk factors and strengthening of social support networks. STRIDES, our running and mentorship program, will focus on reducing risk factors identified through a focus group conducted with youth at Olympic High School and strengthening students’ social support networks.
Running is an outlet through which we both manage stress, set and achieve personal goals, and maintain our physical health, and we are excited to provide Olympic High School youth an opportunity to experience the personal benefits of running. Our hope is that by training for and completing the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk, youth will be inspired to set new personal goals and have the confidence in their abilities to achieve them.
What do you hope will be the lasting impact of your project on the community it serves?
Roberts and Sutkowi: The ultimate goal of STRIDES is to reduce suicidality among Olympic High School students. We hope the youth who complete the program learn invaluable lessons about themselves and useful life skills through the training process and culminating STRIDES 5k Run/Walk.
STRIDES will also give students at Olympic High School an opportunity to build lasting friendships with their peers through skill-building activities and team training for the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk. Once we have completed one cycle of the program, we hope to expand STRIDES by reaching out to more continuation high schools.
The STRIDES 5k Run/Walk aims to benefit both the youth participants and the community at large. For the STRIDES participants, it is the chance to accomplish the goal for which they have been training throughout the 10-week program and share their accomplishment with their peers and community. For the community, it is an opportunity to raise awareness about continuation high schools and that suicide is a preventable problem that can and should be addressed by everyone.
What do you think is the most pressing health-related issue of our time, and how do you think it should be addressed?
Sutkowi: Substance Abuse. Tobacco, alcohol, and illicit substance use are all named on the top 10 list of actual causes of death in the United States. But as public health professionals, our goal is not only to keep people alive but also to advance people’s physical, mental, and social well-being.
Substance abuse is a problem for all people, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or sexual orientation. It must be addressed on individual, community, and societal levels. Healthcare providers have a responsibility to identify people with substance abuse and dependence, provide them with resources for appropriate care, and prescribe medications responsibly.
Positive youth development programs have been demonstrated as an effective public health approach to the substance abuse problem. We hope that, by providing STRIDES participants with opportunities to be involved with their communities and to build self-esteem and self-efficacy, we will also reduce substance abuse – an important suicide risk factor for youth.
Roberts: Eliminating health disparities. Article 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his [sic] family.” And yet, one of the two goals of Healthy People 2010 was to eliminate health disparities, which are still a stark reality in American society. Unfortunately, these disparities may expand before they contract, as demographers expect the groups that currently experience poorer health outcomes to grow proportionally over the next decade.
Eliminating health disparities will require the concerted effort of policymakers and advocates to ensure that all Americans have access to preventive and clinical health care, affordable education, and social services. Additionally, public health professionals have the responsibility to appropriately identify high-risk groups and create targeted programs to meet their needs.
We hope that STRIDES will begin to decrease the suicide risk factors that make students at continuation high schools disproportionately at risk for suicide, when compared to their peers at comprehensive high schools.
What has been the most surprising element of your experience as Schweitzer Fellows?
Sutkowi: Having never heard of the Schweitzer Fellowship before beginning my graduate program at UCLA, I continue to be surprised by how many people I come across that have heard of the Fellowship. People from many professional fields and many areas of the country have heard of the Schweitzer Fellowship because Schweitzer Fellows are building positive relationships within communities and making lasting impacts with the individuals and communities in which they are working.
Roberts: What has surprised me most is not the variety of health issues that the Los Angeles Fellows are attempting to tackle, but rather the ingenuity with which they are addressing these issues. It has been instructive to collaborate with individuals from various health-related fields and begin to better understand new tactics for health interventions. I feel honored to be part of such a creative group.
What does being a Schweitzer Fellow mean to you?
Sutkowi: Being a Schweitzer Fellow means belonging to a group of professionals and students who care about their communities and feel a responsibility to help other people. As a Schweitzer Fellow, I feel inspired by other Fellows to be productive and to continue incorporating community service into my career as a public health professional.
Roberts: To me, being a Schweitzer Fellow is an exciting opportunity to put the skills I’m learning in my public health program to use in my community. I also see this as a chance to get to know the health needs of youth in Los Angeles on a deeper and more meaningful level. Finally, like Anne mentioned, the community of Schweitzer Fellows provide an invaluable forum in which I can explore new ideas about how to respond to pressing public health issues in innovative and sustainable ways.
Ashley Roberts and Anne Sutkowi are Schweitzer Fellows in Los Angeles, CA. Click here to read more about The Los Angeles Schweitzer Fellows Program and the Fellows like Roberts and Sutkowi it supports in creating and carrying out yearlong direct service projects. To make a gift to The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship in honor of Roberts’ and Sutkowi’s efforts to empower Los Angeles’ continuation high school students, click here.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
What has STRIDES been up to?
Wow! Where has the month of August gone? Time flies when you are busy planning a program that includes 20 skill-building and 5k training sessions and a community 5k Run/Walk to help prevent youth suicide. We wanted to give everyone an update on what we've been up to this month, but first what have you been up to this month?
- You have donated $1905 so far to help us run a successful program at Olympic High School.
- 124 of you became a fan of the STRIDES Facebook page.
- Several of you have contacted us about donating shoes and sports bras.
You all rock! We so appreciate all of your support and hope that you continue to share our program's blog, facebook page, twitter account, and story with other people.
What have Ashley and I been up to?
On September 13, STRIDES sessions begin at Olympic High School. Before then, we have a ton of work to do! So far we have:
- Developed 6 of the 20 session plans, including sessions on self-esteem and setting and achieving goals.
- Secured the location and date for our STRIDES 5k Run/Walk: Dockweiler State Beach on Sunday, November 21.
We are currently working on:
- Continuing the development of the STRIDES curriculum.
- Finalizing an evaluation plan to maintain the integrity of the STRIDES program and demonstrate any changes in self-esteem and social support among the STRIDES participants.
- Determining safe running options for the STRIDES sessions.
- Getting t-shirts and water bottles for the STRIDES participants (and t-shirts for those who register for the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk)
- Developing our Active.com registration page for the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk. Keep your eyes open for a post regarding registration. Coming soon!
- Coordinating with friends and friends of friends who work with companies that could donate running shoes, sports bras, water bottles and snacks.
- Planning a fundraiser to earn more money for the STRIDES program and reach our $5000 goal.
We will hold our first STRIDES session just less than a month from today. Can you help us reach our $5000 fundraising goal before September 13? If you'd like to donate, you can do so here. You can also email STRIDESLA@gmail.com for a mailing address for any old running shoes or nearly new sports bras.
Thanks again for your support. We couldn't do it without you!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Continuation High School Facts
Since 1965, California state law has mandated that most school districts with over 100 enrolled 12th grade students make available a continuation/alternative program or school that provides an alternative route to a high school diploma for “students vulnerable to academic or behavioral failure.” While some California residents may be unaware that continuation high schools exist, they are an extremely important resource for over 115,000 Californian high school students each year. Continuation high schools are a major part of California’s efforts to prevent high school dropout.
Continuation high schools often have smaller class sizes and move at a quicker pace to catch students up that have fallen behind in credits. Olympic High School provides 140 students with a smaller learning environment, diverse curriculum and programs. Students at Olympic High School have individualized educational programs that emphasize a standards-based curriculum, intensive guidance/counseling, and project-based learning.
Why STRIDES at a continuation high school?
High school-aged youth are at high risk for suicide. Students at continuation high schools have multiple risk factors that put them at even higher risk for suicide. For example:
Continuation high schools often have smaller class sizes and move at a quicker pace to catch students up that have fallen behind in credits. Olympic High School provides 140 students with a smaller learning environment, diverse curriculum and programs. Students at Olympic High School have individualized educational programs that emphasize a standards-based curriculum, intensive guidance/counseling, and project-based learning.
Why STRIDES at a continuation high school?
High school-aged youth are at high risk for suicide. Students at continuation high schools have multiple risk factors that put them at even higher risk for suicide. For example:
- Continuation school students are almost 2.5 times more likely than students at comprehensive high schools to have changed where they lived two or more times in the last year.
- Continuation school students are almost three times more likely than students at comprehensive high schools to live in foster care or with a relative other than a parent.
- Continuation school students are two to three times more likely than students at comprehensive high schools to report that they have either engaged in or been a victim of violence – such as fighting at school, carrying a gun, being a gang member, or being threatened or physically hurt.
- Continuation school students are five times more likely than students at comprehensive high schools to use methamphetamines and marijuana.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
How You Can Help
We need your help to successfully implement STRIDES. Anne and I have designed this 10-week suicide prevention program to be as cost-effective as possible, but we still need to raise $5,000 to cover its implementation for the approximately 25 students in Olympic High School's incoming class. Additionally, donations will help cover the STRIDES 5k run/walk to raise community awareness about suicide and provide support for the students completing their 5k. Every dollar raised for STRIDES will help us get closer to our goal of reducing suicide risk factors for students at Olympic High School.
If you'd like to donate, please visit our fundraising page. To send a check instead of donating online, please email StridesLA@gmail.com for a mailing address. We appreciate your consideration and support!
Other ways you can help:
If you'd like to donate, please visit our fundraising page. To send a check instead of donating online, please email StridesLA@gmail.com for a mailing address. We appreciate your consideration and support!
Other ways you can help:
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