August 2014

Dear School Administrator,125 Jackson Avenue
South Plainfield, NJ 07080125 Jackson Avenue
South Plainfield, NJ 07080

Safe Kids Middlesex County and the Level One Trauma Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital would like to invite you and your school to join in the seventh year of the Middlesex County Safety Ambassador Program. Through your participation, your students will:

Ø  Gain leadership skills

Ø  Develop presentation skills

Ø  Learn to work as a team

Safety Ambassador Program – The Learning Process

Eight 11th and 12th grade students from each participating high school will be trained as Safety Ambassadors at a Safety Summit to be held on Friday, October 10, 2014 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. There they will acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary to prevent unintentional injuries. Training will focus on four injury risk areas (falls prevention, wheels/helmet safety, safety in and around cars, and pedestrian safety). In addition, students will participate in a session on presentation skills and will learn about the Public Health Model and why this type of education is so important for the entire community.

Safety Ambassador Program – The Teaching Process

Working in pairs, students will choose one of the four safety topics highlighted at the Safety Summit. Utilizing the resources provided, along with the advice and recommendations of their school advisors and Safe Kids Middlesex County Coalition members, they will develop a 25 minute lesson plan to be delivered to first and second graders at one of your local elementary schools. Research has shown that using adolescents as tutors has an advantage because they are cognitively closer to the tutees and in many instances considered a more credible source of information than an adult. This is a unique opportunity for eight of your high school students to expand their own knowledge in this important area, to develop leadership and presentation skills and potentially focus on a career in Education or Healthcare/ Public Health.

Safety Ambassador Program – Getting Started

We would like your assistance (or your designee’s) in identifying the Advisor and students for this program at your high school. In the past Advisors included Guidance Counselors, English teachers, and School Nurses, to name a few. Additionally, the students your school selects may have an interest in education or healthcare, or be involved in drama club or peer leadership programs. All resources and curriculum guides for these lessons will be provided at the Safety Summit. Transportation to and from the Safety Summit (October 10, 2014) and to the Recognition Luncheon (June 2, 2015) will also be provided, if needed, by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. As stated previously, Coalition members will be available to the students to assist in the review of presentations.

In collaboration with the SAP Project Coordinator, scheduling of the presentations at the elementary schools will be set for the spring semester of 2015. Each pair of students will deliver their presentation once per month – February through May - to selected 1st and 2nd grade classes. To accommodate the needs of the participating schools, safety presentations can be scheduled during the school day or through an after school program.

It will be the chosen school district’s responsibility to:

·  Identify eight students who are interested and willing to commit to this program for the entire year.

·  Arrange for their transportation to a nearby elementary school for four (4) presentation dates

·  Assign a school advisor to the group who will help students develop a lesson plan for their particular topic utilizing the provided resources and activities.

·  Participate in all aspects of the Safety Ambassador Program throughout the 2014-2015 academic year.

Please review the attached Participation Agreement, sign at the bottom and send it back to us by August 22nd to get your school involved for next year. We look forward to hearing from you as we get ready to implement this important initiative.

Sincerely,

Diana J. Starace Carol Lavitt

Injury Prevention Coordinator Project Coordinator

Safe Kids Middlesex County Safety Ambassador Program

Level One Trauma Center Level One Trauma Center

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

732-418-8026 732-828-3000, ext 5928