Friday, March 7, 2008

 

MWCC NURSING STUDENTS TO ADOLESCENTS: MORE GREENS, LESS SCREEN FOR GOOD HEALTH

By Janice O'Connor

Nursing students Bethany Nordman, left, and Ashley Ashmore, presented information about the amount of sugar in various breakfast foods during the D.R.E.A.M. diabetes education and screening program this week at Gardner Middle School.

Freshmen nursing students presented health and wellness information to aproximately 300 Gardner Middle School students this week as part of a diabetes education and screening program. The 22 nursing students, along with faculty members Meghan Picone, Lisa Gendron and Raeann LeBlanc, helped the adolescents understand just how much sugar is in some of their favorite breakfast cereals and snacks, the importance of swapping “screen time” for physical activity, and that downing five servings of fruit and vegetables a day really isn’t so bad.

With Type 2 Diabetes on the rise among children nationally, local health care practitioners and educators are working together to raise awareness about healthy choices and disease prevention. Barbara Proffitt, R.N., managed care coordinator for Heywood Physicians Hospital Organization, brought the “D.R.E.A.M. for a Healthy Life” diabetes education and screening program to the middle school. The MWCC nursing students assisted her by creating interactive education stations on the significance of healthy food choices and exercise in preventing diabetesand presenting the information to middle school students as a service learning project.

The D.R.E.A.M. program, which stands for Diabetes Risk Education, Assessment and Modification, is a free diabetes screening program offered to students each spring at Gardner Middle School and each fall at Murdock Middle School in Winchendon. The program is provided as a community service by Heywood Hospital and the Heywood Physicians Hospital Organization.

Hundreds of students in grades six, seven and eight attended the educational portion of the program and about 75 students received permission from a parent or guardian to participate in the screening program. The screening program includes a family history questionnaire, a fingerstick blood glucose test, height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) calculation, and consultation with a dietician on eating habits and exercise. The results will be sent to parents, and in cases of risk, to the child’s pediatrician as well, Proffitt said.

“It really is a good opportunity for the middle school students and for the college students,” Proffitt said. “It’s a nice match for the nursing students, and they’re filling a big need for our program. The education component has been a good addition to the whole program. They did a wonderful job.”

MWCC nursing student Karen Lahey said the class worked hard to develop presentations that would be meaningful to the middle school students.

“If we tried to explain diabetes in technical or medical terminology, the kids would really tune us out or not get the message we are trying to get across to them,” she said. “We had to be really creative in our visual displays. When you say the words “five fruits and vegetables, it seems like a ton of food, but when you see the serving sizes in a display, you think, ‘I can do that.’ We also gave them ideas and recipes for healthy snacks they can chomp on while they’re doing their homework.”

Type 2 diabetes, which used to be seen primarily in adults over age 45, is becoming more common in young people as obesity rates in children continue to soar, according to the National Diabetes Education Program, a partnership of the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than 200 public and private organizations. Early detection and treatment can help prevent or delay the onset of serious medical complications later in life.

The D.R.E.AM. program encourages children to eat five fruits and vegetables a day, reduce television, computer and video game screen time to two hours per day, and engage in one hour of vigorous exercise each day.

SPEAKER ENCOURAGES 'DISRUPTIVE EMPATHY' TO HELP DARFUR

By Janice O'Connor

Tom White, education director of the Cohen Center for Holocaust Studies at Keene State College, said lives in Darfur would be spared if more Americans took a few simple actions to voice their objection to the ongoing genocide.

Why should a community college in North Central Massachustts become involved with what’s going on in the Darfur region of Sudan, Africa?

Because if Americans fail to object to the ongoing genocide, it will most certainly continue, Thomas White, coordinator of educational outreach for the Cohen Center for Holocaust Studies at Keene State College told a group of students, faculty and staff gathered for a presentation this week, “Sudan: Genocide in Darfur.”

In his talk, which included a PowerPoint presentation and film clip, White presented background history and information about the geographic and politically sponsored catalysts that have led to genocide. He also explained China's role in the crisis as Sudan's biggest trading partner, and mounting international pressure for China to do more to help end the genocide.

Since the genocide began in 2003, more than 200,000 people have died in bloody attacks and bombings and more than 2.5 million have been displaced from their homes and pushed into refugee camps, creating chaos in one of the world’s poorest regions. Since February, the situation has again intensified with new attacks on Darfur civilians by the janjaweed, the fearsome Arab militia that are supported by the Sudanese government. Villages are again being burned and razed, women and girls are being raped, men and boys are being murdered, and food and water supplies are being targeted and destroyed.

“I think we have a real role to play as Americans,” White said. “The Sudanese government denies this is happening, and when I see these images, I hear in my mind the words, ‘Never again,’ ” referring to the phrase used in relation to The Holocaust. “And yet there was Rwanda, Bosnia and now Darfur. I think it’s a matter of convincing people that they can make a difference and that the U.S. is a world power that can make a difference,” White said.

White emphasized the importance of "disruptive empathy," the idea that people need to immediately get involved to stem the tide of history. He encouraged a number of ways ordinary citizens can take action to help stop the genocide, including wearing a "Not on My Watch" green wristband to help raise awareness; calling legislators through a special number set up to connect the call - 1-800-genocide - to voice oppositition; divesting from companies doing business in Sudan; holding demonstrations; asking religious and community leaders to speak about the crisis; collecting signatures on a petition calling for legislative action; and making a contribution to a humanitarian relief agency and encouraging others to do so.

White’s presentation was arranged by adjunct instructor Liane Jablonski, who wanted students in her Social Problems class to hear more about the crisis as they study conflict, war and terrorism. Students in Tina Wilson’s Broadcast Writing class also attended. Wilson said the course’s ongoing assignment, “Staying Connected,” emphasizes the importance of understanding world issues.

The Cohen Center's website http://www.keene.edu/cchs/contains a wealth of information about the crisis in Darfur, as well as Robert F. Kennedy's famous "ripple of hope" quote - "It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

MWCC TO HOST GARDNER ROTARY CLUB'S ANNUAL LIVE AUCTION

The 33rd annual Rotary Club benefit auction takes place live this weekend from MWCC's BCT studio. Pictured from left preparing for the auction are Gardner Chamber of Commerce President Michael Ellis, Maxyne Schneider, executive director of the House of Peace and Education, auction Chairman Mike Gerry, Jennifer Dymek, president of the Gardner Community Action Committee board, and Rotary Club President John Flick. Student Josh Bettezz is at the camera.

Fabulous deals on numerous goods and services can be found this weekend, as MWCC hosts the Gardner Rotary Club’s annual auction. The auction, now in its 33rd year, will be broadcast live from the college’s Broadcasting and Telecommunications studio on Friday, March 7 from 7 to 11 p.m., and on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The college’s BCT students are participating in every aspect of production, including camera, audio and director. The annual event raises more than $20,000 to support a wide range of community endeavors.

“From the Rotary Club’s perspective, this is our largest fundraising event,” said auction Chairman Michael Gerry. “It’s really the event that enables us to do all the things in the community that we do and provide scholarships to high school students and assist various nonprofit organizations with their programs. All of the money that we raise at the auction goes back to the community, and this couldn't happen without the support of the college. There is no way we could run the type of auction that we do without the exceptional help and cooperation we get from the college – all of the staff and students.”

MWCC has been televising the event for 22 years, said Vin Ialenti, assistant dean of Distance Learning and Instructional Design. Items donated by businesses, organizations and others in the community this year that can be bid upon include a purebred English Mastiff puppy, a wide variety of furniture including a Nichols and Stone Boston rocker and a porcelain table from Saloom Furniture, jewelry, college courses at MWCC and Fitchburg State College, a granite bird bath, MWCC’s two-week summer drama camp for children, gift certificates for home heating oil, a golf foursome at Oak Hill Country Club, a painting by local artist Ray Burton, and lift tickets at Wachusett Mountain.

The auction will be carried live on Gardner cable access station Channel 9 and will stream live from the college's website. To view the auction over the Internet, visit http://www.mwcc.edu/LiveTV/.

More MWCC News:

• Alumni from Mount Wachusett Community College’s health sciences programs will return to campus on Wednesday, March 12 to participate in a Health Sciences Career Panel. The program, sponsored by the Advising and Counseling Center, will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Commons area. Alumni from the Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Massage Therapy, Physical Therapist Assistant and Clinical Lab Science programs will discuss their career path, current positions and experience. For more information, contact the center at (978) 630-9568.

• MWCC's What's Next? Speaker Series will continue on Thursday, March 13 with a panel presentation on “Living and Working in the New Economy,” from noon to 2 p.m. at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster. The free session will focus on the quality of life issues that impact the economy in the region, with particular focus on transportation, small business development, and housing and the foreclosure crisis. Panelists include Bonnie Biocchi, regional director for North Central Massachusetts Office of Business Development; State. Rep. Jennifer Flanagan, D-Leominster; Michael Ellis, President & CEO of the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce; and Diane Silva, senior vice president of mortgage lending with Enterprise Bank. This year’s series is sponsored by MWCC’s Center for Democracy and Humanity in partnership with the Trustees of Reservations, the Twin Cities Latino Coalition and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation. Lunch will be provided. Reservations are required and may be made by calling Nancy Hawkins at 978-630-9163 or emailing nhawkins@mwcc.mass.edu

• The Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety is sonsoring a Women's Self Defense Course. The R.A.D. Women's course, for ages 13 and above, will take place March 17, 18, 19 and 21 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Gardner Campus. The course is led by nationally certified R.A.D. instructors and provides realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women. To register, contact Melissa Croteau at (978) 630-9150 or mcroteau@mwcc.mass.edu

• "Immigration: The Community's Roadmap to Success," a talk presented by Peter Creticos, president and executive director of the Chicago-based Institute for Work and the Economy," will take place on Thursday, March 20 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster as part of MWCC's What's Next? Speaker Series. The free presentation will focus on the key issues related to the economic impact of immigration on the regional workforce and the partnerships that can be developed. This year’s speaker series is sponsored by MWCC’s Center for Democracy and Humanity in partnership with the Trustees of Reservations, the Twin Cities Latino Coalition and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation. Lunch will be provided. Reservations are required and may be made by calling Nancy Hawkins at 978-630-9163 or emailing nhawkins@mwcc.mass.edu

• The Art Club is sponsoring a lecture by AIDS activist Tim Bullock on Tuesday, March 25 from 9 to 10 a.m. in the North Cafeteria. Bullock will speak about his working with AIDS sufferers in Africa and his experience on the Interfaith Pilgrimage of the Middle Passage, a year-long journey that retraced the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade from the United States to West Africa to South Africa. For more information, contact Assistant Professor of Art Tom Matsuda at (978) 630-9340 or tmatsuda@mwcc.mass.edu.

• Registrations are now being accepted for the spring Saturday Morning Classes for Kids, offered through the Division of Lifelong Learning & Workforce Development. Course topics include cooking, oceans in motion, scrapbooking, health and safety, board games, bookmaking, babysitting, calligraphy, Lego engineering, online video game making and more. Session one runs for three consecutive Saturdays beginning March 29 from 8 a.m. to noon. Sessions two and three run on three consecutive Saturdays beginning May 3, from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information or to register, contact Enrollment Services at (978) 630-9123.

• Free 2007 income tax preparation services will be offered to eligible area residents at MWCC's Gardner and Leominster campuses. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is being offered on Thursdays through April 10 at the Gardner campus and on Fridays through April 11 at the Leominster campus. Appointments can be made by contacting Denise Whitney at (978) 630-9124 or dwhitney@mwcc.mass.edu. The VITA program, an initiative of the IRS, is a service-learning project for MWCC business students coordinated by the Division of Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development and the Business Department.

• Volunteer musicians and singers are needed to perform in educational recording sessions during an advanced audio production course at MWCC. Students enrolled in the college’s Broadcasting and Telecommunications degree program will record the performers on Wednesday evenings between 5 to 8 p.m. throughout the spring semester as part of the academic program. Choirs, quartets, soloists and other singing groups are needed, as well as woodwind, brass, percussion and string musicians, a brass quartet and a big band jazz band. Rock bands are not being recorded as part of this course. The volunteer performers will get an opportunity to learn more about the recording process as it pertains to their specialty. Some performances may be aired on cable access stations. For more information, or to reserve a recording space, contact instructor John Little at jlittle@mwcc.mass.edu.

• The enrollment center is offering Information Sessions on a number of academic programs. Upcoming sessions will take place on the following dates: Clinical Laboratory Science: March 12 and April 16 from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Heywood Hospital, Dining Room B; Biotechnology/Biomanufacturing: March 25 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Leominster Campus, 100 Erdman Way and April 15 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 341; A.S. Nursing: March 11 and April 8 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Practical Nursing Certificate program: March 20 and April 17 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Complementary Health Care: March 24 and April 28 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Dental Hygiene: April 2 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Burbank Hospital, Fitchburg. Prospective students interested in attending an information session are asked to call the enrollment center at (978) 630-9110 (TTY (978) 632-4916), or send an email to admissions@mwcc.mass.edu