16. Community Support: Safety Days

16. Community Support: Safety Day

This We Believe (AMLE, 2010)

* The school includes community and business partners. Community & Business

Today the County Extension Service provided a day-long expo for eighth graders. It was called Safety Day. Nine different agencies brought information and activities for our students to hear about, participate in, and ask questions. The agencies included:

-a State Trooper talking about seat belts and speeding;

-Fire Fighters talking about how to check fire extinguishers and what they do. Students got to try to put out a simulated fire;

-an Emergency Medical Technician talking about what they do and how our students can get trained at our high school, a local community college, and a four year college;
-Power Linemen talking about how deadly electricity can be, using simulations and demonstrations;

-a Police Officer talking about texting and cyber-bullying,

-the youth Gun Club members allowing students to shoot at targets and discussing Gun Safety;

-animal control talking about wild animal safety (raccoons and foxes that carry rabies);

-All-Terrain Vehicle safety was conducted by a team of rescuers talking about safety, helmets and the dangers of ATV's. In addition, they allowed students to don fifty-pound packs and safety helmets;

-a Coast Guard member talking about safety related to boating and life preservers.

All of the community members shared stories and answered questions. Each one shared insights and concerns about safety. At the end of the day I asked my students what they thought. “Did you like it?” I asked. “Yes, it was cool.” Tomorrow we will make thank-you chains where students will write what they learned and what they liked most about each station.

What I loved about this day was that our students not only gained knowledge about what safety looks like in many different settings; but what I saw was students thinking about their own futures as leaders in this community.

Advice

1)   Most Communities have Extension Services. These community members have much to offer our students via information and support.

2)   As young people begin to explore different services within a community, encouraging them to think about careers is a good exercise.

3)   I was thinking that an extension to this exercise would be for students to conduct a project on the type of job they would like to pursue and where they might receive trained. It is not too early to help them dream about their futures.