What does a heathy start to the school year mean to you ?

Photos by Teal VanLanen

“The word ‘education’ comes from the Latin ‘educere’ = e- (out of) + -ducere (to draw). Education is not just about putting information in. We have forgotten that it, in fact, begins in the child’s heart.”

~ Vince Gowmon

Getting Kids Ready for a Healthy Start to the New School Year

Written by Nick Cochart & Teal VanLanen (Co-Founders of Kinect M1 and Algoma Venture Academy)

Do What Matters for Kids: As millions of kids across the country head back to school this fall, our educational systems and leaders should pause and think about what we have prepared for them. Do we welcome kids as they are, or do we focus on building compliance, procedural recognition, and guidelines to a positive ‘adult’ experience?...

Create Spaces of Trust: In the hustle and bustle of the preparation for the new school year, remember to keep it simple: Provide students with a safe and engaging “SPACE” so that they can bring their own unique identities, histories, experiences, and cultures to the learning environment...

Connect Youth to the World Around Them: Learning is not, and should not, be confined to the traditional 30x30 brick and mortar classroom. So much is to be learned when we connect students to the world beyond. Planning and providing pathways for students to connect outside the school walls is imperative for the growth and well-being of each and every student, as well as, the growth and well-being of the community in which the school resides...

Read full article here

Community Highlights

“Effective community engagement work is very methodical, it's very technical,” notes Paz. “It’s one thing to put something up on social media, or ask other local organizations to identify community leaders. But it's quite different when you have a really strategically designed list of questions and training that helps you start a conversation. I really believe that the fundamental building blocks of community organizing are small conversations where you connect with people, and then you bring those people together, and you connect them to each other.”

Those conversations allowed Fresno Metro Ministry to understand their community’s needs and concerns around COVID and identify potential community leaders to engage in their ongoing work.

Read full story here

We were working a Covid vaccination clinic provided free of charge by the NCOA at the St. Patrick’s Church in Tonopah, NV on July 26,2022. It had been a busy morning. We started with what turned into a 2 hour “wellness” check as requested by the senior center. We went as requested by Father Alex who also wanted to visit the patient... Everything happens for a reason!

This wellness check turned into finding a patient who was unable to care for herself. She had been bedridden on her couch for over a week. She only had a visitor once a day to bring her water and food. She was on oxygen and had no food or water since the previous day when she had a visitor. We could hear her wailing from outside her apartment as we approached the door “I’m going to die, someone help me”.

Read full story here

Newsflash

COVID Booster New! CDC held an update last week on the new COVID-19 boosters that are Omicron-specific.

The following is attributable to Dr. Walensky:

“The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variant. They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants. This recommendation followed a comprehensive scientific evaluation and robust scientific discussion. If you are eligible, there is no bad time to get your COVID-19 booster and I strongly encourage you to receive it.”

RISE vaccine booster training coming up on the 22 September. Look out for more details soon!

Read more here on the CDC's Media Release and here is a link to the 9.9.22 CDC Webinar - Equitable Rollout of Bivalent Boosters - Google Slides

Tools/Resources:

Public Health Institutes' video series on Communicating About Vaccines

Find strategic guidance, tips and examples for how public health practitioners and advocates can communicate effectively about vaccines in ways that foster trust, in this video series from PHI’s Berkeley Media Studies Group.

More and more family members and grandparents are motivated to get vaccinated so that they can protect their grandchildren from COVID-19 and other diseases. Here is an insightful article on the effects of the Pandemic on children in America.

NPR Article on Study on Children losing care providers to COVID-19

Upcoming Webinars/Training

For those onboarding to HRSA2, please register for the following required trainings:

Upcoming trainings include:

Vaccine Booster Training: 9/22

Data for Power for Measurement and Learning: 10/13

MEET AND LEARN:

CDC RISE Peer to peer Collaborative: 9/20

HERSA2 RISE Peer to peer Collaborative: 9/21

Cafecito for Community Outreach Workers and Promotoras: 10/5

For a full list of activities, click here for the calendar

Funding Opportunities

This week, we are proud to share possible funding opportunities available to our communities.

Special Diabetes Program for Indians - Oct 7

Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ): Small Grants Program - Oct 07

Barclay-Giel Seed Grants - Nov 3

Texas Community Health Worker Workforce Development Center Training - Ongoing

The RISE Website has been updated to include an Events page as well as Funding Opportunities page. Be sure to check out some other great resources an links!

Visit our Website for more opportunities