Agents of Change
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This year amidst the challenges of the pandemic, CHRISTUS School Clinics hit new heights with its student health education presentations. Topics included were hygiene, nutrition, manners, handwashing, and the new Archidiocese-based program, PUREly You!
The program had principals, staff and teachers excited to incorporate the presentations into their curriculums with the schools setting their topics based on the needs of their individual campuses. “Our school administrators set up a schedule to ensure that every grade level was targeted, and teachers eagerly awaited their students’ scheduled presentation time,” Jocelyn Cox, Practice Manager for CHRISTUS School Clinics, said. “During presentations, teachers actively participated with their students, answering questions, joining in discussions and even playing Nutrition Bingo.”
The PUREly You! program presents growth and development grounded on Catholic beliefs. The program has been in use at only a handful Houston-Galveston Archdiocese Catholic schools for the last two years. “CHRISTUS School Clinics was asked to incorporate the program into our health education presentations,” Cox said. “We piloted the program with 4th and 5th grade students at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School.”
The program has provided an openness for students to speak on personal growth topics. “I believe the students will now feel comfortable speaking with their parents, teachers and administration when they feel they are going through some changes,” Irazema S. Ortiz, Principal at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School, said.
According to Benita Gonzalez, Director of Student Support Services for area Catholic Schools, the PUREly You! program moving forward will be restructured to include the optional in-classroom activities and multi-media lessons that the CHRISTUS School Clinics created for the students. “It is exciting that CHRISTUS School Clinics were agents of change to better serve the needs of our students and communities,” Cox said.
With your support, we can continue to provide healthcare and mental health counseling to underserved students in nine area schools.
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