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Think First for Teens for middle-
and high-school students, addresses injury prevention by focusing
on the underlying behaviors that lead to injury. The program explores
issues such as peer pressure, risk taking, conflict resolution and
substance use, particularly as they relate to violence, motor vehicle
safety, and sports/recreation safety. The program's goal is to enable
teens to acquire the skills needed to make safe decisions while affirming
that being safe doesn't mean losing a sense of fun or adventure.
The upbeat Think First for Teens program educates young people
about personal vulnerability and risk taking. The message is that
you can have a fun, exciting life, and
you can do it without hurting yourself if you "think first" and
use your mind to protect your body.
The program includes the following:
- A workbook,
which is a collection of peer discussion and writing exercises
designed to function as a stand-alone curriculum or be integrated
into other health/psychology subjects.
The workbook teaches teens that safeguarding their health is
a matter of choice and responsibility. The Teens program facilitates
such learning by giving students exposure to the lessons of
injury prevention in a format that maximizes interaction, personal
reflection, and fun.
- A classroom presentation
by speakers who have sustained a brain or spinal cord
injury. Speakers talk candidly with students about their lives
before and after their injuries, and about the decisions and
circumstances that led to their injuries. Each presentation
is followed by a question and answer discussion session. Speakers
are specially chosen for their expertise in health education
and their ability to relate to young people.
Our goal is to help students develop safety habits that will
minimize their risks of sustaining a brain or spinal cord injury.
Our intent is to make the learning experience fun, yet meaningful,
and to involve not only teachers, but also parents and the community.
To schedule Think First for Teens in your school, please contact
Think First Oregon at (503) 494-7801 or e-mail thnkfrst@ohsu.edu.
Satisfied teachers share their experience
of the Think First for Teens Program:
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"Having
a young speaker was very powerful and effective in giving
our students a clear and relevant message." |
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