Kids Get Glimpse of Medical Work

Medical workers visited the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club recently to educate the youth about healthy habits and to provide an up-close look at work in the field.

Oyster Bay dentist Grace Hsu and her staff taught the kids how to properly clean their teeth, and the children had the opportunity to practice on an oversized model of teeth. They each received a goody bag containing toothbrushes and dental masks.

Students from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine brought thermometers, stethoscopes, reflex hammers and blood pressure cuffs to give Club members the experience of being a doctor for a day. Kids were able to take their own vitals with the instruments.

The visits were part of the Club's Triple Play initiative, a "comprehensive mind, body, soul experience designed to improve the overall well-being of members by
encouraging daily physical activity, teaching them about health and wellness and increasing their self-esteem to develop healthy relationships," according to a Club statement.

Such programs have an observable impact, the Club said. Brianna Cruz, 8, the Club's February Youth of the Month, wants to be a nurse when she grows up. 

Shannida Letellier, Glen Cove's 2009 Youth of the Year, is set to graduate from LIU-Brooklyn Campus this year with a degree in nursing.

Letellier said the exposure she experienced at the Club showed her what was available.

“The Club was not just a place to go after school and it was so much more than a safe
haven. The Club opened my eyes to a world of opportunities, and because of that I was able to think about my future and pursue the career of my dreams of becoming a nurse and to turn that dream into a reality," she said.

Medical professionals interested in participating in the initiative can contact Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club program director Sara Laskow at slaskow@glencovebgc.org.

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