®I|c JÌortlattò (ßbseruer
October 30. 2002
Page A5
Health/Education
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Program Recruits
Students of Color
‘Connections’ gets kids thinking
about education after high school
“C onnections” is the U niver
sity o f O regon’s prim ary college
visitation program for high school
students o f color and first-genera
tion students.
C urrently in its second year, this
program grew out o f the realization
that traditional, large-scale recruit
m ent ev en ts fo r m in o rity and
underserved stud en ts w ere not
alw ays effective.
R ather than hosting hundreds
o f students one day a year, C on
nections takes the “ less is m ore”
a p p ro a c h by o ffe rin g sm a lle r
e v e n ts c o o rd in a te d w ith local
school counselors and inner-city
organizations like P o rtlan d 's S elf
E nhancem ent, Inc. and U pw ard
Bound.
E ach fo u r-h o u r p ro g ra m is
capped at 70 students in order to
ensure a m ore intim ate experience
and provides visiting students with
the opportunity to better absorb
the im portant inform ation shared
throughout the day.
Each session is designed to get
the student thinking about w hat
the upcom ing college experience
m eans to them and the steps n ec
essary to successfully m ake the
tran sitio n from high school to
higher education.
D uring their visit students at
tend three breakout sessions fo
cusing on academ ic life, student
life and financial aid. A fter a cam
pus tour, visitors will then ex p eri
ence a student-led interactive w ork
s h o p th a t in tr o d u c e s h ig h
schoolers to the academ ic/intel-
le ctu a l o p p o rtu n itie s aw a itin g
them.
T he day ends w ith a panel d is
cussion led by UO student leaders
w ho provide inform ation on the
general student experience, tell
w h a t i t ’ s lik e b e in g
an
underrepresented student in col-
Students of
color and soon
to be first-
generation
college stu
dents visit the
University of
Oregon as part
of the college's
minority recruit
ment efforts.
lege and explain w hat resources
are available to m inority students.
C o u n selo rs, in stru cto rs, and
com m unity organizers w ho w ould
like to bring their students to C o n
nections can contact T om as Hulick
B a iz a
at
thulick@ oregon.uoregon.edu, or
by telephone at 541 -346-1284.
Flu Shots Reduce Health Risks
Fewerthan half of African Ameri
cans over the age o f 65 are vacci
nated against influenza each year
as com pared to w hites, placing
thousands o f older A frican A m eri
cans at increased risk for flu-re
lated hospitalizations and death,
according to the C enters for D is
ease C ontrol and Prevention.
D espite recom m endations for
annual flu shots, only 48 percent o f
A frican A m erican adults aged 65
years and older routinely do so,
com pared to 67 percent o f w hites.
A nother study show s only 25
percent o f A m erican children o f all
ethnic backgrounds w ith chronic
diseases, a group particularly at
risk fo r flu-related com plications,
receive a flu shot each year.
“A frican A m ericans have to
m ake sure w e ask for our flu shot
every y ear and take responsibility
for our health and our fam ily’s w ell
being,” said Dr. B onnie M. W ord,
speaking on beh alf o f the National
Foundation for Infectious Diseases
and N ational M edical Association,
a nationw ide organization o f A fri
can A m erican physicians.
“T hose o f us w ho are elderly, or
Fight the
Flu with
Food
Som e o f the best tools to p re
pare your im m une system to fight
the flu are right in your grocery
store.
A lthough m any factors play in
to your ability to fight infections,
eating certain foods can help boost
your imm unity.
N utritionists at Providence in
P ortland suggest bright-colored
fruits and veggies filled w ith anti
oxidants to help fight off infec
tions; high-quality proteins like
eggs, lean-m eat or tofu to boost
energy; and garlic and onions
w hich act as biological disinfec
tants to clear aw ay toxins and
germs.
At I \ Cl lise
w illi diversity
I lie Portland
( )hserver
t .ill SUV2SS (Mill
O
pen your account and start saving money to day ;
Serving all who live, work, worship or attend school
in the Portland communities o f Arbor Lodge. Boise, Bridgclon. liuckmaii
north o f Hawthorne, Cathedral Park. China Tbwn. Concordia west o f . W
Avenue, Concordia University. Downtown Portland. East Columbia. Goose
Hollow. Humboldt. Irvington, Kerns. King. Northwest Ponland. Northwest
Industrial Portland. Old Town. Overlook. Pearl District. Piedmont Portland
Community Col lege-Cascade Campus, Portland State University. Ports
mouth. Sabin. St Johns. Sullivan's (ink'll University o f Portland.
WILLAMETTE
Federal Credit Union
University Park. Vernon, and Woodlawn
NCUA
A patient is vaccinated against the flu.
any adult or child who has a chronic-
condition such as diabetes, asthm a
or cancer, m ust be particularly vigi
lant about preventive care,” Dr.
W ord stressed.
An estim ated 20,000 people die
and approximately 114,OOOare hos
pitalized due to flu-related com pli -
cations each year, according to
C D C statistics published this past
A pril. T he C D C 4 recom m ends
annual flu shots in O ctober for
those at high-risk for developing
serious com plications. Flu shots
are also recom m ended in O ctober
for people w ho live in the same
house with individuals w ho are
high-risk, as w ell as health care
w orkers w ho com e in contact with
h ig h -risk patients and children
under 9 years old w ho are receiv
ing vaccine for the first tim e. All
other groups should receive flu
shots in N ovem ber and Decem ber.
Providence Rover Moves
Patients and Families
pow ered by batteries and runs
v ery q uiet. T h a t’s w hy it is
equipped with a strobe light and
bell to alert visitors it is com ing
their way!
“ As a patient, if you are not
feeling well or arechallenged walk
ing distances, finding your w ay
expends a lot o f energy,” says
Lisa V ance, the m edical cen ter’s
associate adm inistrator. “W hen
we looked at how we m ight m ake
it easier on our patients and their
fam ilies to find treatm ent loca
tions, it m ade sense for us to look
at the possibility o f a tran sp o rta
tion cart o f som e kind.”
T h ere are w aitin g statio n s
throughout the first floor o f the
medical center where patients and
visitors can w ait for a ride.
4
1888) 900 8SS9
Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health
Wellness Within REACH: Mind, Body, and Soul
Activity Calendar
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Sat
Fri
Salsa
Mall Dishman
77 NE Knott
6:00-7:00pm
Ellis
Salvation Army
5325 N Wiffiams.
•
African Dance
Water aerobics
Old School
2:00 - 3:00pm
Dance
1 0 -11am
Hampton
6:00-7:00pm
Addo
Kendrick
Nabre's
3535 NE 15th.
It’s new , it’s unique, and it’s
roam ing the halls o f Providence
Portland M edical Center. O ne o f
P o rtlan d 's largest hospitals is a
bit easier to get around thanks to
the “Prov R over.”
In response to patient and visi
tor requests. Providence is now
operating a sm all golf-cart like
device that transports patients
and fam ilies w here they need to
g o o n the first floor o f the facility.
From end to end that totals ap
proxim ately one-tenth o f a mile or
about 400 steps and w hen you ’ re
not feeling w ell, it can be d au n t
ing.
Behind the w heel o f the four-
person vehicle are hospital v ol
unteers, w ho have all received
safety training. The “R over” is
,S03) Z99 4S J9
A program of the African American Health Coalition, Inc.
Sponsored by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Mon
Calvin Harrison,
executive
director o f
Providence
Cancer Ser
vices, takes a
turn driving the
“Prov Rover"
2151 N W. Front Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97209
Your u v in g ft fn ic M liy insured to S100.0ÛÜ
b \ the \a tio i» iil C rvd it l w o n AdnnniM ntuon
a I S (lo v e riirn c n t Agency
Aerobics
6 3 0 -7 3 0 pm
Nickerson
PenmsubParh.
700 N Portland
Portland
Commoaty
Colege
705NUmgswartb
Vota
Aerobics
Water aerobics
Aerobics
7:30-8:30 pm
6 3 0 -7 3 0 pm
2 :0 0 -3:00pm
630 -7 :3 0 pm
Weight Room
10-llam
O'Rourke
Nickerson
Hampton
Nickerson
TBD
Walking Group
Walking Group
6-7 pm
1 2 3 0 pm
Nickerson
Nickerson
Basketball
12-lpm
Radja
Walking Group.
630-7:30an
tason
Must De z i or oiaer to participate
Basketball
12-lpm
Radia
Wallung Group
630-7:30am
Cason
rie a s e cnecu witrt « H n c ueiuie w iu m u y up tu me m:
503-413-1850. Please receive approval from your doctor before beginning exercise class
All classes are free of charge,
African American Health Coalition, Inc.
2800 N. Vancouver Ave , Suite 100 • Portland, OR 97227 • Phone 503413-1850
E-mail: cor1issm@aahc-portland.org • Web: www.aahc-portland.org
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