Catherine Livingston is the mom of two grown youngsters and a counselor at Henry Ford II Excessive Faculty. Having been by the powerful years that coincide with adolescence into being a teen and being a highschool counselor, she will be able to completely relate to the issues going through dad and mom at present.
It additionally makes her an important podcast host.
“If I stroll into my daughter’s room and I odor cherries, ought to I be involved,” Livingston mentioned, throughout an interview for Utica Group Colleges Wellness Podcast with Corey Beckwith, a public well being coordinator for ACCESS, an Arab-American nonprofit group that serves as a robust advocate for cultural and social entrepreneurship imbued with the values of group service, wholesome existence, training and philanthropy.
Beckwith can be a social employee, licensed prevention guide/specialist and former co-chair of the Michigan Prevention Affiliation, a statewide group comprised of alcohol, tobacco and drug prevention professionals and volunteers.
The subject of dialogue on a latest version was vaping and what dad and mom have to know.
As Beckwith defined through the podcast on the subject of vaping, a lot of the lure for younger folks is taste. E-cigarettes, because the cool model of the outdated cigarette is known as, are provided in enticing smells and tastes. Fruit, mint, sweet and dessert flavors are the favorites, and research counsel they ignite the need to vape. These had been all banned two-years in the past, however they’re nonetheless round together with different merchandise associated to vaping similar to flavored nicotine pouches.
The cherry scent may be a candle burning within the little one’s room. Both approach, Beckwith suggested Livingston, who requested the query on behalf of oldsters, to speak to her daughter about it.
“And I might suggest sooner somewhat than later,” Beckwith added, through the interview that lined a wide range of floor in 20 minutes.
Now the podcast and all the info given in regards to the matter together with assets for fogeys similar to useful web sites and organizations that may assist youth addictions shall be obtainable for fogeys on Utica Group Colleges Wellness’ web site, UticaK12.org/UCS_Wellness. The informational website was launched by the district through the pandemic.
“When the pandemic began we knew we needed to join with households otherwise,” Livingston mentioned.
Nevertheless, with dad and mom and college students at residence, colleges wanted one other approach to supply households with entry to info associated to high school and the pandemic but in addition the bodily, psychological and social-emotional wants of UCS households.
The creation of UCS Wellness allowed the faculties to share a various catalog of assets together with a digital calming room for anybody experiencing stress in addition to wellness assist guides designed for college students and fogeys.
Its success led the district to develop the toolbox for fogeys.
“We needed to have the ability to entice our households to those assets and different info and considered one of the best ways to do this,” Livingston mentioned. “Podcasts are the primary factor now. They’re brief and easy. It’s one matter and it’s solely an hour lengthy.”
It’s additionally conversational.
“So that you’re not simply being informed one thing. Our workforce does a pleasant job of personalizing the subject,’ mentioned Kim Charland, government director of secondary curriculum and packages for UCS and amongst those that helped to launch the brand new podcast collection.
Thus far, three podcasts have been recorded. Each shall be launched on UticaK12.org/UCS_Wellness on the third Wednesday of every month all through the varsity 12 months. Different hosts all through the collection will embrace counselors, Kim Twarowski and April Raupp.
It’s success has additionally prompted outdoors pursuits together with the Waterford Faculty District in Oakland County, which has launched its personal podcast collection.
“The pandemic and up to date college tragedies have emphasised the significance of psychological wellness for our college students, employees and households, and the UCS Wellness Podcast is offering one other useful resource to assist our group give attention to their well being and well-being,” mentioned Utica Group Colleges Superintendent Robert Monroe. “I’m so happy with the initiative the UCS Wellness workforce has proven to develop this program in assist of our group.”
Each Livingston and Charland, who do a variety of the brainstorming on subjects to cowl, hope to incorporate college students within the podcast produced and edited by Kevin Coppa, who has been concerned in different audio and video productions supported by the district and its college board.
“It’s like a radio present, solely you may pay attention at your leisure, like on the way in which to work,” Coppa mentioned.
The subject of the inaugural episode is the significance of psychological well being. Livingston’s visitor for this podcast was Nancy Buyle, who’s the varsity security and pupil help guide for the Macomb Intermediate Faculty District. She was happy to study in regards to the podcast collection.
“I’m so grateful to you for doing this,” she informed her host. “I feel that is great info that everybody must find out about and I’m excited to be listening to about all the opposite podcasts you’ll be doing as properly.”
Along with UticaK12.org/UCS_Wellness listeners may also catch the podcast collection on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music by trying to find UCS Wellness Podcast.
