I'm sitting at the airport right now, and I can't figure out what I'm more excited about:
1) My pending flight to Hawaii
2) That our students are starting to grasp the concept of health disparities and upstream causes
3) All the above
At both Canyon Springs and Valley View High Schools, we had stimulating discussions on everything ranging from obesity in relation to poverty and education, the prevalence of unintended teenage pregnancies, and the rising tide of prescription drug abuse. The students seemed a bit more comfortable with me this time around, and our conversations were notably more personal: we discussed students' perceptions of their own health issues and that of their schools.
Interestingly enough, the students at both schools I attended today felt they were in worse health status than the other. I could've spent hours delving into their perspectives and learning more about how the students see themselves in the world around them; but I did have that plane to catch! A week of vacation, and then back at it again in November.
Until next time, aloha!
MB