Chicago Health Corps Members gather in Lake Geneva, WI for a two-day retreat.

          In late April, the Chicago Health Corps members took a two-day retreat from the city to Covenant Harbor Retreat Center in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin to reflect, set goals, and team build. A committee worked with Program Director, Karen Berg, to make sure the retreat would be a time for members to both reenergize, and focus  on making their experience as Corps members as rewarding as possible.   

          The members were able to participate in a low ropes course that was both physically and mentally challenging. During this time members were able to take turns as leaders, giving ideas and encouraging fellow Corps members through each event. Members also spent time self-reflecting during “The Calling,” an individual activity that helped each member determine their own strengths and passions. One of the retreat highlights was a campfire, complete with s’mores and music provided by several members who brought their guitars and musical talents.

Before returning to the city members were able to spend time in small groups hiking through the camp and setting goals for themselves, their sites, and the Chicago Health Corps as a whole. To remember these goals, as well as the strengths and passions they discovered earlier in the retreat, members made both t-shirts and posters to bring back to Chicago for continued inspiration. Despite rain and chilly weather, members enjoyed their time with one another, and returned to their host sites focused on meeting their goals, and making the most out of their last six months of service.

Marquette Elementary's after-school soccer program gives students a healthy option to build a sense of community.

During one of our recent in-service trainings, the Chicago Health Corps had the privilege of hearing from leaders involved with Chicago’s Ceasefire organization. Ceasefire is an initiative of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention seeking to reduce crime and gang-related violence in many of the neighborhoods in the city.

Many of our members serve in communities where gang violence is a relevant and challenging issue, and time with Ceasefire leader Rafi Peterson helped clarify many conditions these students work within. Rafi was able to provide information regarding different gangs located in Chicago, their history, and the reasons why many individuals join. Many times individuals pursue gang membership with the intention of seeking leadership and community, and street violence ensues to maintain honor and protect one’s “family".

Currently serving as the health coordinator at Marquette Elementary with the Elev8 program and Southwest Organizing Project, member Carlos Cordova took much of Rafi’s message to heart. Working within a team of dedicated faculty from Marquette and leaders from the surrounding communities, Carlos has been able to find ways to involve students in activities outside of regular school hours. They have been able to initiate an after-school soccer and running club, engaging students in team-building activities that are physically, emotionally, and socially beneficial and provide a sense of community students may otherwise seek elsewhere. Within these contexts, Carlos provides a safe environment for many of these kids to be part of a team and to work towards a common purpose, while being supported by school staff and each other.

As Rafi emphasized during our discussion together, “You can’t turn kids away from something if you don’t turn them towards something,” a message and model Carlos has been actively striving to fulfill.

 Written by CHC Member Maya George. 

Member Antionette Fisher links students to health services as a health coordinator with Elev8.

Nearly half of the thirteen Chicago Health Corps (CHC) members are completing their term of service with a school-based health center. Responsibilities at each site vary from registering students for a community dental van, to teen pregnancy prevention and education, to after school gardening programs. Through their efforts at these sites members help increase access to and quality of care for underserved communities. CHC members are currently serving at school-based health centers affiliated with Erie Family Health, Heartland International Health Care and Elev8 partner centers sponsored by Near North Health Services, Access Community Health Network and Alivio Medical Center.  According to Divya Mohan Little, Project Director for Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers, the number of school-based health centers in Illinois has nearly doubled in the last decade to 59 centers statewide. Due to the increasing need for this piece of health care for the many uninsured children and adolescents and low-income families the need for school based health centers will also grow, potentially creating opportunities for new CHC members.

 

It wasn’t until CHC Member Antionette Fisher started her term of service with Perspectives Charter schools that she realized just how much students value the school-based health center. Over 900 students enrolled in Perspectives Calumet Middle School, High School and High School of Technology are all able to use the health center that is managed by Access Community Health Network based in Chicago.   Students are relieved that all that is required for them to use the health center is a consent form signed by their parents.

 

Part of Antoinette’s responsibilities are scheduling the student’s appointments, and sometimes accompanying them for support. Through the health center she is able to help the students prepare for other things, such as completing physicals for their transitions to high school and college.  The relationships she builds with students makes her feel like the glue that holds students and the health center together. She works hard to be approachable and create a comfort zone to introduce students to the health center. Some students venture in on their own and others go because they are in need of immunizations or a physical exam to meet school requirements.  Many walk through the doors because of Antionette’s gentle encouragement to explore the services the health center offers.  Once they are over the anxiety of the first appointment, and realize what a safe environment it is, they continue to go. Antoinette hopes the increase in the number of school based health centers will lead to more opportunities for CHC members to have a similar, rewarding experience. 

 

Written by CHC Members Molly Brewster and Antionette Fisher.