JUST THE FACTS
June 2021
Community Newsletter
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Sex Education as a Student, Teacher, Parent & Employee
Laura Schwartz-Candor Health Education
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I still remember getting on that bus going on the “infamous” fifth grade Robert Crown field trip. Some of my friends were excited because they were so curious about their changing bodies and what was going to happen as we became teens, but not me. I was dreading it. When I came home that day my mom asked me if I had any questions. I said, “No” and that was the end of our conversation. The rest of my sex education mostly came from friends, Seventeen Magazine, MTV, and movies as it did for many of my peers back then. When I think back, I know my mom was a product of her generation and her environment. She certainly never discussed these things with her own mom, and it was not a topic she felt comfortable discussing with her kids. When parents feel uncomfortable, kids pick up on that and feel uncomfortable too.
Many years later as a fifth grade teacher, I became the one bringing my fifth grade students to the Robert Crown Center on the same field trip I dreaded when I was their age. I saw firsthand the same apprehension and anticipation just like my own experience. I was fortunate to be able to watch this rite of passage unfold before me. Year after year, I watched as uncomfortable fifth graders transformed into curious young people who were eager to ask insightful questions.
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HELP TEENS HAVE A SUMMER TO REMEMBER
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Calling all parents, summer is here and with it comes sunshine, heat,
pool days and fun! But research shows that summertime is also
the most common time for teens to try alcohol and other drugs.
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VIRTUAL TOWNHALL HOSTED BY SUBURBAN CHICAGO PREVENTION COALITIONS
June 23, 2021 – 7 pm – 8 pm CST
This virtual townhall, hosted by prevention groups across suburban Chicago,
will raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking and will provide parents
with tips and resources to help prevent teen substance use during summer and all year long.
Participants will also hear directly from teens about alcohol related issues and pressures they face and how parents can best support them to make positive decisions.
Substance use is significantly lower among teens who believe their parents strongly disapprove of substance use.
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We were honored to be featured in some of the 62 markets nationwide on the Scripps News Network. |
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Sex Education During the Pandemic Makes a Pivot
E.W. Scripps National News
HINSDALE, IL — Remote learning has transformed how schools handle sex education.
During the pandemic, students spent more time online, further isolated from social, emotional, and mental health. But experts say the internet should not be the source of sexual education for kids, and the current health crisis has complicated the issue.
When it comes to sex education, like most parents, Laura Burns doesn’t want her 5th grader clicking around on the internet. “Unfortunately, when it comes to sex ed and things that they might be really curious about, there's way more misinformation than good and true information, in my opinion,” said Burns.
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OUR VIRTUAL SCIENCE CAMP STARTS SOON!
REGISTER NOW
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Perfect for students entering grades 5-8. The camp will include:
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Interactive Games - Learn about the organs and body systems through interactive health scenarios and games.
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Dissections - You can either participate in dissections of a cow eye, cow heart, sheep brain, bullfrog and fetal pig or watch as one of our professionals does some fancy camera work to provide students with an engaging observation experience.
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Special Guest Visits - We will be hosting discussions with healthcare professionals and campers will have the opportunity to interact and ask questions.
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Activities & Experiments - We'll provide campers some fun and engaging experiments that can be done after the camp each day.
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After 6-year-old accidentally eats a marijuana gummy, mom urges for safer packaging
TODAY
In late May, Morgan McCoy found her 6-year-old daughter lethargic and unresponsive. She later learned her daughter had accidentally eaten a marijuana gummy that she thought was candy. After a scary night in the hospital, she’s recovered. But McCoy is sharing their story to encourage safer packaging of marijuana edibles and to urge parents to properly store it.
“If we have marijuana packaged like candy, children are far more likely to eat it than if it were packaged like medication, which is what it is,” McCoy, 39, the “retro realtor” in Pensacola, Florida, told TODAY. “It’s a drug and all of our drugs are packaged in childproof stuff, even vitamins and children’s Tylenol.”
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Dr. Laura Berman pushing for changes after young son's death
WGN9
An alarming trend has surfaced across the county: Teens dying after ingesting fake pills that are laced with the deadly synthetic drug fentanyl. Equally as alarming is where they are buying the drugs: Online sites that in some cases are directly marketing to teens.
Back in February, Dr. Laura Berman revealed that her 16-year-old son died after buying fake prescription pills online. Turns out he is not alone.
More drug dealers are using social media platforms and fake online pharmacies to sell directly to teens.
Fast forward to today. Law enforcement and the public are getting a sense of the large number of fake pills that are flooding the country. And teens are the prime target. WGN Investigates found websites and Instagram accounts operating openly.
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Liz Garcia - Senior Health Educator |
Liz received her Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education from Illinois State University. During that time, she became a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) through The National Commission for Health Education (NCHEC). Liz joined the Candor Health Education in April 2017. |
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Candor Health Education (Formerly the Robert Crown Center for Health Education)
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