May 31,2000
Page A3
(tlje JJnrtlanh (Observer
■Health/Education
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■MHM
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Outreach program announces mathematics program
C O M H IH II H ) STORY
EQR T he
P ortland O bserver
The Saturday A cadem y O utreach
Program is pleased to announce the
10th A nnual S aturday A cadem y
A pp lied M a th e m a tic s (S A A M )
S um m er In s titu te fo r s tu d e n ts
entering the 9th grade in the fall o f
2000. This program offers African
A m eric an , L a tin o / a n d N a tiv e
A m erican stu d e n ts a c h a n c e to
explore m athem atical concepts used
most frequently in the w orking world.
Leadership, public speaking, cultural
enrichment, field trips and follow up
support through high school are
integral parts o f SA A M . The sum m er
Institute is taught by three senior
teachers, three cultural enrichm ent
instructors and tw elve peer mentors
w h o h a v e g r a d u a te d fro m th e
program . The program will be held
M onday-Friday, July 1 0 - A ugust 4,
from 9:00a.m .-2:30p.m . at Grant High
School. Tuition is $35.
O utreach will also offer the M iddle
School Institute for incom ing 6th,
7th, and 8th graders June 26 - 30, from
9:00 a.m .-3:00p.m . at HarrietTubman
M iddle School. Students can select
one o f tw o workshops: M athem atical
A pplications in construction (M AIC)
or the M ath/Science/Tech Program.
T uition for either w orkshop is $45.
M AIC will offers students an inside
look at bridges and their design and
construction. V eteran engineer Peter
Ebert will take students on field to
study the bridges o f Portland then
exam ine the m athem atics, econom ics
and physics o f bridge construction
with students. Students will construct
their own bridges out o f a variety o f
material in orderto build the strongest
b r id g e . F ie ld tr ip s to o th e r
construction sites in Portland and
guest speakers from the construction
industry will m ake this a fascinating
w e e k . T h e /M a th /S c ie n c e /T e c h
p rogram , held co n cu rren tly w ith
M AIC, isco m p rised o ffo u rsu b jects:
M A RS 2030 S pace E x p lo ratio n ,
Chemistry, Television production and
keyboarding. This program w ill give
students practical k n o w led g e in
research, exploration, science, math
and technology.
For information and applications,
contact O utreach at 282-2608 or
w w w .s a tu r d a y a c a d e m y .o r g /
outreach. Support for these programs
comes from the Intel Foundation,
W ashington M utual F oundation,
Meyer Memorial Trust. US Bank,
W ells F arg o , B o ein g , Ja c k s o n
Foundation, NW Natural, Oregon
Com m unity Foundation’s Howard
Vollum Scholarship Fund, Portland
Parks and Recreation Youth Trust
Fund, and the Standard Insurance
Company.
Operation Stroke takes on Oregon’s No. 3 Killer
CONTRIBUTED STORY
for T iie
P ortland O bserver
Though stroke is the No. 3 killer in the United States (and O regon); taking the
lives o f nearly 160,00 A m ericans each year. O nly 26 percent o f the general
public nationw ide can nam e one or m ore o f the w arning signs o f stroke. A s the
is leading cause o f disability nationally, m ost patients wait an average 22 hours
to get help w hen stroke sym ptom s occur. Y et know ing the w arning signs o f
a stroke, calling 9-1-1 and getting to a hospital im m ediately can m ean the
difference betw een life and death.
More O regonians died from cardiovascular disease - prim arily heart disease
and stroke - than from all other causes in 1997, according to a D ecem ber 1999
report by O regon Health Division. A nd the disparity betw een O reg o n ’s stroke
related death rates and U.S. rates has grow n w ider since 1990, the report said.
But 36 percent o f respondent in recent Portland-area survey incorrectly
identified at least one sym ptom when asked on an unaided basis.
Why should w e care? Because a stroke can happen to anyone, although som e
are at greater risk than others. But those who get to a hospital w i thin three hours
o f suffering a stroke may have treatm ent options that could reverse or halt the
effects o f the disease.
This local program is part o f a nationw ide goal o f the A m erican Stroke
A ssociation by year 2003 to increase from three percent to 20 percent the
percentage o f stroke-suffers who get appropriate treatm ent w ithin the
recom m ended tim e after sym ptom s begin.
T heir m ain objectives are to:
E ducate the public on stroke prevention, and increase aw areness o f stroke
sym ptom s: Sudden w eakness o r num bness o f the face leg, especially on one
side o f the body.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
Sudden trouble seeing in one o r both eyes.
Sudden trouble w alking, dizziness, loss o f balance or coordination.
Sudden serve headache w ith no know n cause.
Encourage people to cal 19-1 -1 w hen they or someone else is suffering a stroke.
A dvocate for em ergency m edical service systems to upgrade the coding for
transporting training and im plem ent outcom es-tracking systems.
A dvocate for acute-care m edical facilities to implement stroke protocols, team
and units, and im plem ent outcom es-tracking -system s.
Educate pre-hospital and em ergency medical personnel on their role in and
reasons for treating stroke as an em ergency.
A ssess the m edical co m m u n ity ’s ability to treat stroke as an em ergency.
A dvocate for appropriate and tim ely rehabilitation and support services for
stroke survivors.
C urrently the general pubic d o esn ’t know the w arning signs o f stroke or that'
it's an em ergency. C urrent policies o f hospital and transport system s and
insurance com panies do not alw ays facilitate delivering the patient to the most
appropriate acute-care facility. M edical professionals are reluctant to use the
acute-care treatm ent because o f its risk and because it h asn 't been used
extensively.
Health Briefs
Free Lead Testing for
children on June 10
C hildhood lead poising is a m ajor
an d p re v e n ta b le en v iro n m en ta l
health problem s and lead-based
paint is now the prim ary source o f
lead exposure. Free lead tasting for
children will take place the second
Saturday o f each m onth, from 10
a.m. to 2 p.m . at C ommon Bond, 4919
N .E. Ninth Avenue (Northeast Ninth
and A lberta behind St. A n d rew ’s
Church).
Blood lead testing has been done
an d an y risk fa c to rs fo r lead
poisoning are present. Chi ldren who
live in or regularly stay in a home,
ap artm en t, or child care cen ter
constructed before 1978 are at a
g reater risk o f d ev elo p in g lead
poisoning, especially if there is
rem odeling or peeling paint. O ther
risk factors include family members
with exposure to lead and low fam i ly
in c o m e ( in c lu d in g th o s e on
M edicaid. W IC, or O regon Health
Plan,.
T he effects o f lead poisoning are
reversible if detected early by a blood
test. If undetected, lead poisoning
dam ages the brain, causing learning
and behavioral problem s in affected
children.
T h e testin g is co -sponsored by
volunteers from The Oregon Chapter
of
P h y s ic ia n s
fo r
S o c ia l
R esponsibility and the Coalition o f
B la c k M en , w ith h e lp from
V olunteers o f America. Com m on
Bond, CLEARC'orps, the Urban
League o f Portland, and Old W ives’
T ales Restaurant. Special thanks to
M u ltn o m a h
C o u n ty
H e a lth
Department forproviding laboratory
testing and supplies.
“Health Care Fair”
C o n c e rn e d
h e a lth
c a re
professionals, advocates, students
and other interested groups are
team ing up with H ealth C areer
C o n v e n tio n s at P o rtlan d S tate
University and Oregon Health and
Sciences Uni versify tooffer "Hand-
on Health 2000.” This health fair
focuses on the underrepresented
com m unities residing in N /N E
Portland, and offers real-w'orld
health care solutions. Problem s
such as heart disease and diabetes
are prev entable, and in most cases
o c c u r at h ig h e r ra te s am o n g
m inorities. Hand-on Health 200
prom ises to educate entertains and
inform s families with professional
advice and personal attention. All
ages are welcome to enjoy free food,
music and prom inent speakers. So
join us Saturday June 3, from 9:00
am to 5: 00 PM at P o rtla n d
C o m m u n ity C o lle g e C a s c a d e
C am pus, 705 N K illingsw orth,
Portland, O regon. S panish and
A m e ric a n
S ig n
L anguage
interpreters will be available. D o it
for yourself and for your family.
What: H ands-on H ealth is a non-
traditional health fair that m ainly
focuses on m ayor health issues
such as heart disease and diabetes
that affect individuals from low-
in c o m e
and
u n d eserv ed
communities. There will be free food,
entertainm ent, speakers, and som e
basic health services.
W h e re: P o rtla n d C o m m u n ity
College, Cascade Cam pus, 705 N
K illingsworth, Portland, Oregon.
When: Saturday June 3, from 9:00
AM to 5:00 PM.
Shoelacee need
careful honda
to guide them.
The eat ne ie true o f children.
Y o u have more to teach kids than you might imagine. Take the Time is a cam paign to help yo u n g people succeed. And that
takes some help from adults. W e’ve outlined 40 assets that help y o u n g people becom e successful, and w e can suggest w a\ s lor
T A K E T H E T IM E
yo u to get involved. Be the difference. Please call us at 503-988-3897 o r visit o u r w ebsite at ta k e th e tim e .o rg to learn more.
B E T H E D IF F E R E N C E