21st ANNUAL OHIO STUDENT PROJECT AWARDS

BY UNITED SERVICES FOR EFFECTIVE PARENTING-OHIO

Columbus, Ohio - Ohio secondary students and teachers are studying “How Does it Feel to be a Safe and Responsible Parent?”

Discover Parenting is the title of the project, created by United Services for Effective Parenting – Ohio, Inc. (USEP-OHIO). It includes a classroom program designed to complement secondary curriculum and assist students in secondary schools to explore the theme, “How Does it Feel to be a Safe and Responsible Parent?” Students create individual or group projects, submit photos, and express their thoughts through captions. The photos are ranked based on their originality, composition, creativity and insight to the responsibilities and their feelings about parenting.

Discover Parenting Awards - Winning students and teachers each receive cash awards for their achievement. All participating students receive certificates. Teacher participation mini-grants are given to all teachers entered in the statewide exhibit, to enhance their classroom resources.

The 21st Discover Parenting Exhibit - Recent Winners Statewide

1st Place Student: La'Rita Allmond Teacher: Jasmine King - Warrensville Heights High School "When You Hear the Sound 'Beep, Beep, Beep' Safely Get Out on the Count of '1, 2, 3'." Interpretation – This youngster is being taught by hearing, seeing and touching the smoke detector and exactly how to react when it goes off. The practice increases the chances of reacting safely in a real fire.
2nd Place Student: Haylie Fogt Teacher: Carol Breinich - Sidney High School "Taking Safety to New Heights" Interpretation – Measuring a child’s height is the key for safe seating based on engineering standards to keep them from being propelled from autos and other moving vehicles. In Ohio the new law requires that a child be in a booster seat until at least 4’9”. Click on the following link to see details of the Ohio Booster legislation effective April 7, 2010. The new law requires children between the ages of 4 and 8 use a booster seat unless they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall. Read the facts and learn about booster seat tips.
3rd Place Student: Chaz-lynn Lee Teacher: Sharon Baumer - Piqua High School "Click It or Ticket' Is Chavion's Shopping Law" Interpretation – Consumer safety experts have noted a surge in the number of youngsters injured while riding in shopping carts. To reduce injuries and keep young children out of the emergency room, they must be properly seated with the restraint fastened.
Honorable Mention Student: Morgan Price Teacher: Carol Breinich - Sidney High School "Gate the Door Before Your Child Hits the Floor" Interpretation - Strong caption message! Would any parent risk the life, health and future of their child for the price of a safety gate?

The Action Project - Recent Winners Statewide

1st Place Action Project Students: Brittany Furlow and Traon Gray

Teacher: Jasmine King - Warrensville Heights High School
"A Little Modeling Goes a Long Way; Across My Chest is Where the Seat Belt Rests."
Interpretation – Practice is a great way to impress upon children the importance of wearing restraints. Taking time to teach and “act out” safety lessons might ensure a child’s life is saved. Both parents and their children benefit as students mentor their younger peers.

2nd Place Action Project Students: La'Rita Allmond

Teacher: Jasmine King - Warrensville Heights High School
"Learning the Turtle Crawl - Stay Low to the Ground If Smoke Is All Around"
Interpretation – These students teach the crawl – noted by most experts to be the safest way to navigate the smoke and fumes of a fire at home or away. It is just one of the important lessons they taught.

Enroll Now

April, 2011 is the deadline for entry into the 22nd annual Discover Parenting project.
Contact Pat Fountain usepohio@usepohio.com to enroll and for more information.
The statewide exhibit will be on display in May 2011, in the lobby of the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, at the Statehouse complex in Columbus.
Content Standards for Career and Technical Education intersect with Discover Parenting tasks.
Winning photos are announced to teachers during the annual conference of OATFACS, the Ohio Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Science in Columbus and winners are recognized at the annual conference of the National Association of Women Highway Safety Leaders (NAWHSL) at their national conference.

USEP-OHIO Materials Available (but not required to teach Discover Parenting) “Kids in the Car with Grandparents and Others Who Care,” Teachers involved in Discover Parenting often use the USEP-OHIO materials provided in a teaching kit written by Cindy McKay. “Kids in the Car” is a NAWHSL publication developed through a safety grant to USEP-OHIO, and currently distributed nation-wide by AAA. It can be used to make video presentations to schools and in a variety of group settings.

The “Discover Parenting Manual – A Classroom Guide” was printed with support from the Ohio Department of Education includes tools which augment Ohio curriculum and was originally developed by USEP-OHIO with the support of many partners to reach teachers and their students. The Family and Consumer Sciences teachers in Ohio comprise the largest group of participants in the program, but its application could be used in student groups and organizations of all kinds.

Cindy McKay, Executive Director of USEP-OHIO said of Discover Parenting, “These students are likely to be parents in the next few years. I wish every student in Ohio had time during the high school years to think through and experience what these kids have in their class work. We are very excited about Discover Parenting and the great teachers who use it as a tool.

For more information contact: Patricia Fountain, Project Manager
usepohio@usepohio.com
614-868-8600 or 1-800-262-4KIDS