|
Does your school have an emergency preparedness response plan? Are your fellow students trained in First Aid/CPR or how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED)? Have you thought about creating a Red Cross school club?
The beginning of the school year is a great time to incorporate the Red Cross! Whether it's integrating Red Cross curriculum, such as Masters of Disaster or Red Cross Ready, into the school year, advising physical education teachers to instruct a First Aid/CRP/AED course or taking the initiative to start a Red Cross school club, youth and young adults, just like you, play a key role in bringing the Red Cross to our nation's schools.
|
When preparedness is taught to children at a young age, they will be better equipped to continue preparedness behaviors as they become older. Write a letter of encouragement to elementary school principals about incorporating Red Cross health and safety courses into the school curriculum as well as the benefits of teaching children health and safety at a young age. Inform school leaders that Red Cross curriculums meet national educational standards for science, math, language arts and social studies. Some courses to recommend include Basic Aid Training (BAT), First Aid for Children Today (FACT), Together We Prepare, and/or WHALE Tales.
Continue by encouraging middle school/junior high school and high school principals as well as college professors or directors about the importance of encouraging preparedness in curriculum lessons. We live in unsettling times where scrutiny of security occurs on a daily basis. Youth and young adults—as well as their educational superiors—should be properly trained in reacting and handling a dangerous situation. Youth and young adults can help make this happen.
Also, be proactive. Take preparedness courses such as Client Assistance System (CAS), Client Casework: Providing Emergency Assistance (PEA) or Disaster Instructor Specialty Training (DIST). Create a Red Cross school club and organize a disaster response team. Communicate with your local Red Cross chapter on opportunities to collaborate on community projects, including fundraising and disaster relief.
Youth and young adults have the power to bring the Red Cross into schools. Encourage your youth and young adult volunteers to tailor this article for their local community or school paper. Discuss with field unit managers and/or directors about the domino effect of involving youth and young adults in the field unit: not only will youth and young adults bring the Red Cross message to schools, the message, in turn, will then infiltrate into the community.
Don't forget to let us know about your Red Cross school club! Visit RedCross.org to register!
| 
