Project: Mentoring for high school students and the propagation of our PA profession in at-risk communities and non-whites to begin the process of closing the cultural gap in our profession.  This project will be an extension of our established community outreach program, Project S.E.E.D. (Serving Everyone, Embracing Diversity) called S.E.E.D. Next Generation.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to promote our profession and actively recruit non-whites to pursue the PA profession, by enrolling in pre-PA studies in universities and retain them in that pathway by individually mentoring them one-on-one giving advice on what classes to take and encouraging them throughout their college years and into the interview processes.  In the United States, only 15% of practicing PAs are non-white.  When compared to the latest US census, reflecting 37% of the US population being non-white there is a significant discrepancy between the cultural backgrounds of healthcare providers, specifically Physician Assistants, and the population we serve.  When compared to the breakdown of the non-whites in our profession, 5% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 4% black, and 1% Native American/Alaskan-Native; the United States Census reports our population comprises of 16.7% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 13.1% black, 1.2% Native American/Alaskan-Native, as well as 2.3% of two or more races.  We want to develop a program that will start narrowing this gap and have our profession be more reflective of the population we serve.  Our purpose is not only to recruit non-whites to our profession, but also mentor them throughout the their college careers to ensure graduation and ability to apply to Physician Assistant school.  In a report released by National Center for Education Statistics the percentages by race of the 2009-2010 graduating class is as follows; 72.9% white, 8.8% Hispanic, 10.3% black, 7.3% Asian, and 0.8% American Indian/Alaska Native.  Many non-white enrollees are first-generation.  A study by the Pell Institute, states that low-income, first-generation students are four times more likely to drop out within the first year of their studies than first year students who had neither of these risks.  After 6 years 43% of these students left higher education without earning a degree, only 11% had earned their bachelor’s degree within those six years.  These statistics emphasize the need for mentoring programs.  Our program is aimed at retaining these students and increasing the percentage of those earning their bachelor’s degree.

Goals:

*Recruit at-risk youths to pursue a medical profession, and specifically pursue the goal of becoming a physician assistant, emphasizing the locally practicing PAs.

*Develop and establish a procedure to present our profession to youths at local high school fairs and recruit youths into our mentoring program matching them personally with one student for the entirety of their university career.

*Promote cultural change within our profession starting with the local community.

*Produce a self-sustaining program that can be duplicated across the state of FL and eventually at a national level.

Plan: NSU Physician Assistant students will partner with local school administrators to develop a collaboration to provide information to current high school seniors in the advantages of choosing physician assistant as a viable, engaging future profession and encouraging them to prepare themselves for the rigors of college and the application process by pairing interested parties with PA students to guide them throughout university.  We will produce a presentation using Florida PAs practicing in Lee and Collier County as well as informative information on our career to be used on career days or at career fairs.  We have a partnership with a one local high school at this time to implement the pilot year, and as the semester continues, hopefully more local schools will be involved.  Our desire is to develop a plan that can be implemented in all of our Nova branches and then eventually at that state and national level.  This project can have a large impact on the lives of the young adults we mentor by providing them encouragement and an opportunity to be exposed to a future option.

Dialogue

Mom: “Time for dinner but you all have to wash your hands before you eat.”

[Group hand-washing session prior to dinner. Then…]

[Family sitting down at dinner] 

Whit: “Oh mom, this is really good but now I’m so full.”

Mom: “Have you eaten all of your vegetables.”

Kids: “Yes, mom!” (all kids together)

Kelley: “I’m so tired and full too, I am ready for bed.”

Mom: “Okay well lets go wash up and get you girls ready for bed.”

(skip to…getting ready for bed)

[Bathroom: tooth-brushing review.]

[Whitney looks at Kelly w/big plant stem hanging out of mouth.]

Whit: “EEEWWW, what’s in your teeth, gross.”

Kelley: “What do you mean?”

Whit: “You need to brush your teeth!”

[both look into mirror & mom will come up behind and whip out toothbrushes!]

Mom applies toothpaste & says: “Here, each of you get a pea sized amount of toothpaste.”

(David strums Happy Birthday in the background) –whit & kelly need to mention to brush for

Mom: “Okay time to jump in the shower & clean your little bodies!”

“Wash your hair so you don’t get bugs.  & your WHOLE body with lots of soap! Then rinse all the soap off so you don’t get itchy & be careful so you don’t get soap in your eyes. “

Kelley: Do I wash my feet?

Whitney: Do I wash my belly-button?

Kelley: Do I was under my arms?

Whitney: How about behind your ears?

Mom: “Excellent, now you both are squeaky clean and you can go to bed.”

Pre-game –

Plan activity to present to Pre-K students

• Skit
• Quiz with prizes
• Song

Plan –

1. Introduce the group (3 members) and explain why we are here. “Who remembers how to brush their teeth? What do we have to do after we sneeze?” etc.
2. Skit – Family eating dinner. Mom says the kids need to shower before bed. (see dialogue)
3. Skit – Bath time before bed. (see dialogue)
4. Teeth brushing review
5. Quiz – 5 questions (with prizes for each)
6. Song
7. Explanation of the handout, and interaction with kids.
8. Exit

Dialogue

Pre-game –

Plan activity to present to Pre-K students

• Skit
• Quiz with prizes
• Songs

Plan –

1. Introduce the group (3 members) and explain why we are here. “Who knows what germs are???”
2. Intro Song
3. Skit – Child gets home from school, sneezes all over. Mom tells child to wash hands.(see dialogue)
4. Song
5. Skit – Child sits at dinner table, picks nose. (see dialogue)
6. Song
7. Skit – Child returns to table, mom coughs in her hands. Child tells mom to wash hands. (see dialogue)
8. Quiz – 5 questions (with prizes for each)
9. Explanation of the handout, and review lesson.
10. Exit

Dialogue

Dialogue:

[Intro Song]

Child walks through door with backpack.

Child: “Hey mom, I’m home from school”

Mom: “Oh hi honey, I am just making dinner, go start your homework while I finish cooking.”

Child: “Sure mom” (as child sneezes 3 times) 

Mom: “You better go wash your hands now that you sneezed and are covered in germs!”

[Child walks to bathroom & turns on sink.  Hums Happy Birthday tune, or sings aloud, while washing hands thoroughly.  Emphasize using soap & washing between fingers.]

SONG

[Child goes to kitchen and sits at dinner table.  Begins picking nose & being gross.]

Mom: “I saw that finger in your nose, get up and walk yourself to that bathroom & wash those hands again.”

Child: “Awww, do I have to?”

Mom: “If you want dessert yes you have to.  You must get those germs off of your hands otherwise they can make you sick!”

[Show child going & washing hands again.]

NEXT SONG WHILE WASHING HANDS!

[Child comes back to the table and sits down to eat dessert.  This time, mom coughs into her hands.]

Child: “MOM!  Now you’re covered in germs!  It’s your turn to go wash your hands!”

Mom: “You know what, you are absolutely correct, germs are everywhere and not just on kids, adults too.  I do have to go wash my hands, I will be right back.”

[Cut to mom tucking child into bed.]

Child: “What a great day mom, I am so excited for tomorrow.  But geez I really have to use the bathroom before I go to sleep.”

Mom: “Oh yes, go to the bathroom but make sure when you’re done….”

Child: “I wash my hands!!! Yeah yeah yeah, I knowwwwww!”

Child 1(w/cavity): [sitting at table munching on candy] “Owww!”

Child 2: “What’s wrong?”

1: “I was just chewing on this candy and my tooth started hurting me”

2: “Well maybe you have a cavity?”

1: “What? Wait? How could I have a cavity? I brush my teeth every morning!”

2: “Every morning is just not enough!! You are supposed to brush your teeth after every meal but at least two or three times a day! “

1: “Oh really? Two times a day, I only do it once and I do it real fast.”

2: “Fast is not good, you have to stand in the bathroom and watch yourself in the mirror.  Show me how you do it?”

1: “I brush my teeth like this” (demonstrate straight across rushed brushing motion)

2: “No, No, No, you need to move your toothbrush in a circle like this (demonstrate circular brushing) and you need to do it for 2-3 minutes, so I brush my top teeth and sing Happy Birthday then I move to my bottom teeth and sing it again.”

1: “And how much toothpaste should I use?”

2: “You need to use a pea sized amount and make sure to spit into the sink when you’re done, don’t swallow the toothpaste!”

1: “Got it, my toothpaste is bubble gum flavored and I really like it.   My mom also told me I need to brush my tongue too, is that right?”

2: “Yes, it’s very important to brush your tongue, your gums, and the top of your mouth  so you don’t go to school and have bad breath! “

1: “I definitely don’t want bad breath OR cavities.”

2: “Plus, if you don’t brush like you should your teeth could even fall out and your body could also get sick in other places!”

1: “okay, thanks, is there anything else I should know?

2: “Well, You should also try not to eat a lot of candy, soda, or sugary gum.  AND make sure you go to the dentist twice a year!”

Pre-game –

Plan activity to present to Pre-K students

• Skit
• Quiz with prizes
• Song

Plan –

1. Introduce the group (3 members) and explain why we are here. “How many of you brush your teeth??”
2. Skit – 2 kids discuss teeth brushing (see dialogue)
3. Quiz – 5 questions (with prizes for each)
4. Song
5. Explanation of the handout, and pass out toothbrushes
6. Exit

Dialogue

Presentation to about 100 very well-behaved children at Harns Marsh Elementary in Lehigh, FL:

The Guadalupe Center – Immokalee, FL

Clink here to see a video of our first visit to The Guadalupe Center

Part 1: Oral Hygiene

Part 2: Sanitary Habits

Part 3: Body Hygiene and Review