Being On The Safe Side Leads Students To Independence

By Larissa Lytwyn

Newtown Middle School students Tyler Edwards and Robert Blanc like being in charge.

Although their initial involvement in the school’s newly formed Kids In Charge Club (KIC) was on their mothers’ decree, both boys have found the program to be challenging and yes, even fun.

During a recent meeting Tyler and Robert practiced tossing a rubber police-car shaped stress ball back and forth — wearing “Fatal Vision” goggles. The lenses give wearers the impression of drunkenness in all its not-so-glamorous “glory.”

Tyler and Robert struggled to throw and catch the ball in a world doused a sickly green, floors rocking and vision blurred. At one point, when Robert dropped the ball, Tyler had to help him retrieve it.

Newtown Middle School nurse Barbara Reilly designed the program with the assistance of staff and faculty including the school’s resource officer, Gladys Pisani.

“Being a resource officer at Newtown Middle School means, essentially, that the school is my beat,” Ms Pisani explained. Her duties involve running health and safety programs for students in class and after-school.

KIC has allowed her to help students learn firsthand what it’s like to be intoxicated. The club is part of the school’s ongoing implementation of substance abuse education.

As a physical presence monitoring the halls and grounds of Newtown Middle School, Ms Pisani said students have the chance to get to know her apart from the outside community.

She is always available, she added, to help students learn more about law-related school policies including issues such as bullying, substance abuse and other concerns.

Ms Pisani has also helped design and instructs the school’s anti-bullying curriculum.

Through KIC, Ms Reilly helps students with more health-related aspects of safety. Already in its third week, the students have learned CPR, the Heimlich maneuver and even Rescue Breathing.

“I want to begin babysitting soon and KIC is a great way for me to learn how to keep my [charges] safe,” said seventh grader Lauren Hanuliek.

Another student, Michael Gabor, said learning the life-saving techniques was not as difficult as he thought it would be.

“You have to place your fingers in a very exact way,” said student Michael Aurelian, who aspires to be a firefighter.

Gillian Pratt also thought KIC would be a good way for her to hone her babysitting skills.

“I thought I would get more [jobs] this way,” she said. “I’m learning more about how to keep little kids — and myself — safe.”

“I thought it would be fun, too,” added another student, Lora Street.

Over the next few weeks, KIC members will be learning first aid and taking field trips to area fire departments and the Newtown Police Department.

Newtown Middle School Guidance Counselor Kate McKinney will be teaching KIC members “outdoor safety.”

Ms Reilly said KIC involvement has been strong, and is even growing.

“We made sure to hold it on a day that the late bus comes,” she said, “which assures students transportation.”

The club was advertised through fliers sent home to students. Enrollment is ongoing. Students can sign up at Newtown Middle School’s main office. Participation is free of charge.

Kids In Charge meets every Wednesday from 2 to 3:15 pm at Newtown Middle School. For more information, contact Barbara Reilly at Newtown Middle School at 426-7638.