The HDFS Catalyst  November 2017
Pictured above from right: Mary Anne Maloney-Komorny, Kya Lomax, Sophia Conners, Kate O'Donnell, Jenny Wendell, Ginnie Sawyer and Tara Silberg

A panel of undergraduate and graduate students joined Dr.Trask in a presentation and panel discussion on "Strengthening Intergenerational Relationships in Changing Times" at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware in Wilmington.The audience of approximately 125 participants enthusiastically discussed family and societal issues around aging with our students.The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is an organization for adults 50 and over to enjoy and participate in classes and to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas.
Community Outreach
The Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood and Delaware Stars for Early Success, along with state leadership, have been participating in a Community Connections Tour, where they have visited child care providers in all three counties to hear firsthand the value of Stars and their goals for their programs.

The DIEEC encompasses New Directions Early Head Start , Stars , and PD and is an integral part of the HDFS Department.
Faculty Spotlights
HDFS faculty member, Dr. Myae Han, (pictured above speaking) was invited to Anyang University in South Korea as a special lecture speaker in July 2017.The session was titled “A Conversation with Dr. Myae Han: Current Research on Play and Early Literacy.” The audience included faculty and students in the University's Graduate School of Education. Many graduate students were current child care center teachers and directors. Dr. Han shared her expertise on play and literacy connections and talked about the US early childhood system which was of particular interest to the audience.
Jason Hustedt, Jennifer Vu, Kaitlin Bargreen, Rena Hallam, and Myae Han contributed an article to the Child Care and Early Education Research Connections website titled
Early Head Start Families' Experiences with Stress: Understanding Variations within a High-risk, Low-income Sample . This website promotes high quality research in child care and early education and the use of that research in policy making.
 
Their study found that there are different levels of perceived stress among the Early Head Start families—with some families perceiving that they experienced very high levels of stress while others perceived much lower levels of stress despite experiencing similar levels of poverty and heightened risk.   The study provides an initial step toward distinguishing differences in low-income families' experience with stress, thereby forming interventions focused on promoting responsive care-giving as a possible mechanism to buffer the effects of family and social stress on young children
Student Engagement
Olivia Townsend, 'HS 18 (pictured right with an Art Therapy Express student) completed an internship last semester at Art Therapy Express, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the arts accessible to all individuals. Art Therapy Express is lead by Masters level art therapist, Lisa Bartoli, and provides services to around 1,000 children and adults with mild to severe intellectual, physical, emotional, and/or behavioral disabilities. Utilizing adaptive technology and success oriented projects, Art Therapy Express allows individuals who may be nonverbal communicative to self-express through different mediums of art.

Olivia's internship gave her the opportunity to learn a lot about the intricacy of nonprofit organizations and the struggles that come with self-funding. "While there is turbulence, my time Art Therapy Express has shown me that passion, drive, and truly believing in what you do negate all difficulties that come with the nonprofit world. Art Therapy Express has taught me that if you empower an individual with the tools they need to succeed, anything is possible, and that through creativity and problem solving all individuals are capable of self-expression and greatness," says Olivia.
Dante Marcelle, 'HS 18 (pictured right with his family at a UD football game) recently completed his internship at Anna P. Mote Elementary school. Having the opportunity to work directly with Ms. Akers, a school counselor, gave him the support and guidance to gain the skills needed to complete his internship successfully. One of his responsibilities was to host a lunch buddy group where he taught the students different social skills through activities that he planned.

Through his work with Ms. Akers, Dante learned first hand what it means to be a school counselor and gained a new viewpoint about the career. After graduation, Dante wants to pursue a Master's degree in School Counseling and be someone that can serve as a support system to students as they go through school. 
The Human Services Student Council Club is being re-instituted in January 2018. If you are interested in learning more about the club and getting involved please contact Meagan Daly.
 Upcoming Dates & Events