Physical Health United States Project #5952

Promote health in 100 teens in Portland, Oregon

by MIKE Program

Project Report | Feb 18, 2011
MIKE Program Celebrates Youth Achievements

By Jessica Craw | Communications and Development Assistant

First Semester 2010-2011 Youth Projects
January marked the end of the first 2010-11 MIKE Program youth projects. Youth creations included several YouTube videos (stay tuned for their internet debut), an informational poster, and an educational rap.

Youth reflect on their community project and their experience with MIKE Program:

“In our final project the message we are trying to send to people is that they need to take care of their kidneys. We’re saying that the younger that we start taking care of them, the healthier that we would be. Our message is a little more to the younger crowd because a lot of the young people probably don’t even know what a kidney is and don’t take care of them like they’re supposed to. So we decided to do it in a song that people could learn sing and dance to to learn about their kidneys and how to keep them healthy. Also they learn what happens to them when you don’t take care of them too.”

“We are trying to send a message to people telling them to eat healthy, to prevent people from being on dialysis; to make healthy choices and it will lead to a healthy life and healthy relationships which are very important.”

“The message of our presentation is meant for whoever watches it to learn from it and take it with them. We want them to understand the importance of our kidneys and to see life without them. Hopefully, their knowledge about their kidneys will be taken to heart, which could lead to a better community.”

“Our group is trying to teach kids all the fun facts about kidneys while also having fun. We want to show them that your kidneys are a massive influence on your body. Once you are on dialysis or need a kidney transplant, it will completely change your life. And young people need to learn this before it’s too late.

“I want to tell people my age or younger to be careful. You have to be careful of what you eat. You’ve got to make good decisions to protect your kidneys. We are making a video on the good and bad effects on your kidneys. This is what I learned in MIKE Program.”

75 youth and their mentors celebrated their achievements in becoming ambassadors of health at ceremonies in their honor. Each youth received a certificate of completion, a MIKE Program T-shirt of their design, and a collection of photos to remember their journey.

New Projects Kick Off

A new year introduces 49 youth and 12 mentors, some new to MIKE Program, some simply meeting new youth. On February 1, two classes at De La Salle North Catholic High School in NE Portland, Oregon began their journey towards a healthy new lifestyle. With the help of caring adult health mentors, these youth will become empowered to adopt, apply, and advocate for healthy behaviors.

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Nov 23, 2010
Fall 2010 MIKE Program Project Update

By Jessica Craw | Communications & Development Assistant

Youth make a "Kidney"

MIKE Program Project Update:

Each week, 13 MIKE Program mentors work with 65 youth at De La Salle North Catholic High School, a private Catholic high school serving low-income urban youth in north Portland, and Miller Education Center West, an alternative school in rural Hillsboro, Oregon. Each mentor is in charge of a small group of 4 youth. Each session begins with a healthy snack and water introducing youth to new and healthy foods, teaching them about portion size and the importance of staying hydrated. An exercise component is also incorporated into each session with youth-led stretch band exercises. Throughout the term, youth are working continuously on setting and achieving individual health goals.

Since September, youth have been learning about kidneys and the role kidneys play in our overall health through interactive games and activities. In October, small groups made a “kidney” using their new knowledge of the kidney anatomy, how kidneys work, and the functions of the kidneys in cleaning our blood. Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, risky behaviors, and adverse life circumstances all contribute to kidney failure. Youth engaged in a blood pressure clinic. Health professionals from their community visited their classroom, explaining what blood pressure is and how it is measured. Each student was given the opportunity to have his/her own blood pressure taken as well as taking a blood pressure reading of someone else.

On November 2nd, MIKE Program youth and their mentors took a field trip to several dialysis clinics. They interviewed dialysis patients and staff and toured the facilities, providing them with a different perspective of how chronic disease impacts the lives of their neighbors. Learning about health careers and taking charge of their own health guides them to become health leaders.

Youth from De La Salle North Catholic High School reflected on their experience at the dialysis clinics:

“I learned how important it is to control our diet. More than I had ever before.”

“I learned that taking care of myself now can greatly improve my future. If I don’t then it’ll worsen my future.”

“Even people my age have to go to dialysis.”

What’s next?

In the coming weeks, MIKE Program’s focus shifts from health education to community outreach and service-learning. To reach out to their communities, each youth group will create a T-shirt and develop a worthy final project of their choice to share with their community. MIKE Program mentored teens devise a service project about the role obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and risky behaviors play in kidney failure. As they become healthy “experts” our communities benefit from their new-found knowledge, enthusiasm and self-confidence.

Thank you!

For every person willing to diversify our strength by joining the roster of volunteers: Thank you! You do make a difference. For every donor who so generously gives what you have to offer: Thank you! You, too, make a real difference with your gift. We welcome your financial contributions, your ideas and time, and inquiries in the upcoming year and beyond. Please contact us at 503 296-7705 or through www.mikeprogram.org.

Your faith in the value and durability of our work inspires us every day to help teens find a reason to be healthy! Together we will Reach up, Reach out, Reach back!

Blood Pressure Clinic

Make a "kidney"

Miller Education Center West dialysis clinic tour

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