SEAHO Report - Summer 2012 - (Page 11)

SEAHO FEATURE the program so much they were waiting for that penultimate moment where a student dove in front of a car to push another out of the way rather than recognizing the little things that make a difference as well. At this point the rest of the building had caught on as well and was rather disappointed that they were not given the chance to participate. Funding was secured through the Residence Hall Federation to expand the full program to over 800 first-year students. A Kickoff to Caring event was established to get students excited about the initiative. Dr. E. Scott Geller stepped foot in a residence hall for the first time during his career at Virginia Tech to present the program to the students. Over 350 students participated in the kickoff and they were touched and motivated by the passion in his voice and his dedication to making a difference in the world. When students arrived to the program they were given an AC4P wristband. During sign in they were also given the opportunity to fill out a paper version of the band with what they care about the most written in the middle. After this paper band was filled out they were hung up on our Wall of Caring that still currently stands as a reminder of what students in our building care about in our second floor lounge. The kickoff started with a video being shown in remembrance of April 16th. Dr. Gellar then addressed the group and motivated them to believe that their choices have a powerful impact on others. Shane then addressed the group to share a very special AC4P story. The group was then split into smaller break out sessions where students were provided with the opportunity to get to know one another on a deeper level, discuss how other people have touched their lives, and what they plan to do now after the presentation. Among these groups were sprinkled special guests that included prominent student athletes, resident advisors, faculty and staff, and college administrators. These special guests helped to guide the conversations both one-on-one and in the small break out sessions. The special guests were provided scripts, but were also allowed to guide the conversations on civility and inclusivity. Feedback resounded that the kickoff was the first time students felt they actually got to know others in depth; that they never thought talking to faculty members would be so “cool,” and the kickoff motivated participants to take a more conscious effort to care for others daily. This was a fall initiative and to this day we are still feeling the ripples and riding the wave of AC4P. Judicial and conduct referrals have decreased. Program attendance has risen. The students of Lee Hall are loving life. Levels of engagement and inclusion in the hall have increased, and it is due in no small part to utilizing the AC4P program to bond our community. The one final lesson that I take away from this year is that you should never underestimate the power of caring. Two final quotes to keep in mind: “People will forget what you said, forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou “The greatest tragedy of social transition was not the strident clamor of the so-called bad people, but the appalling silence of the so-called good.” — Dr. King When was the last time you cared? Resources More information on the Actively Caring for People program can be found online at www.ac4p.org. References Berman, A. L., Jobes, D. A., & Silverman, M. M. (2006). Adolescent suicide: Assessment and intervention (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQUARS) [online]. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisgars/index.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Youth risk behavior surveillance – United States, 2009. Surveillance Summaries. MMWR, 59(SS5). Retrieved June 11, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss5905.pdf Safre, S. A., & Heimberg, R. G. (1999). Depression, hopelessness, suicidality, and related factors in sexual minority and heterosexual adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67(6), 859-866. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). National strategy for suicide prevention: Goals and objectives for action. Rockville, MD: Author. SEAHO Report Summer 2012 11 http://www.ac4p.org http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisgars/index.html http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss5905.pdf

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SEAHO Report - Summer 2012

SEAHO Report - Summer 2012