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ETR Blog

Check out what our people and partners are researching, thinking, reading, writing, watching and doing! (Note: The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ETR as an agency.)


ETR and HealthSmart Head to SHAPE Tampa!
April 8, 2019

ETR and HealthSmart Head to SHAPE Tampa!

By Jamie Sparks, MA | April 8, 2019
School Health Program Manager, ETR

This week, health and physical education leaders and teachers from across the country are descending on Tampa, Florida. They’re heading in for the the annual SHAPE America National Convention and Expo.

I am excited and humbled that my first official convention as a part of the ETR team will also be the moment I step into my role as president of SHAPE America. Receiving the news last year in Nashville that my peers had selected me as president-elect was the highest honor in my professional career.

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Tags: Health education, School health, HealthSmart
Best Practices of Sex Education in Get Real 2nd Edition
April 4, 2019

Best Practices of Sex Education in Get Real 2nd Edition

By Teagan Drawbridge-Quealy, MEd & MSW | April 4, 2019
Get Real Trainer, Planned Parenthood League of MA

Here in the Northeast, it feels like winter might just be fading. Spring is coming, and with spring, the end of the school year is just around the corner. For many educators the start of spring also means the start of sex education in their health classes, coinciding with the changing of seasons. Maybe there is something to the “birds and the bees” after all!

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Tags: Evidence-based interventions, Young parents, LGBTQ youth, Inclusive education, Affirmative consent, Trauma informed schools, Sex education, Get Real
Beyond the Literature: 4 Things Young Fathers Have Taught Me
April 2, 2019

Beyond the Literature: 4 Things Young Fathers Have Taught Me

By BA Laris, MPH | April 2, 2019
Program Manager, ETR

“I was 14 and I just didn’t know…”

Many of us work with teens who face challenges because they didn’t have health information and resources they needed. We put a lot of effort into gathering our own information about their circumstances so we can offer them the best support possible.

But what do you do when you don’t know?

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Tags: Young parents, Young fathers
Building Health Skills: Interpersonal Communication
March 28, 2019

Building Health Skills: Interpersonal Communication

By Suzanne Schrag | March 27, 2019
Editor/Project Manager, ETR

If you’re an educator, you know that children and youth communicate all the time. Most classrooms and school grounds present an absolute flurry of communication. It’s no wonder the National Health Education Standards expressly include interpersonal communication as an essential element of effective health education.

This is because communicating about health, and knowing how to communicate in ways that build relationships, are distinctive skills that take practice to master. 

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Tags: K12, Comprehensive school health, School health education, Health education, National Health Education Standards, Communication, HealthSmart
How to Engage Young People: A Conversation with YTH Live Emcee Ivan Garcia
March 26, 2019

How to Engage Young People: A Conversation with YTH Live Emcee Ivan Garcia

By Ivan Garcia, with Erin McKelle | March 26, 2019
Youth Advocate and Sophomore, Head Royce School (IG) and Communications Associate, YTH (EM)

Erin: When we say we center youth-voices at the YTH Live conference, we mean it. Up to 25% of attendees and speakers are young people. We always feature a young member of our Youth Advisory Board as the face and voice of the event, in the role of emcee. This year, we are proud to announce that person is Ivan Garcia. 

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Tags: YTH Initiative, Advocacy, Youth voice, Youth empowerment, YTH
Smoke-Free Housing: A Social Justice Issue
March 21, 2019

Smoke-Free Housing: A Social Justice Issue

By ETR | March 21, 2019
 

Last year, ETR Program Manager Theresa Boschert wrote a post for us about smoke-free housing as a social justice issue. Smoke-free multi-unit housing is now the rule for federally funded public housing. It’s a good idea for all multi-unit housing.

In the video below, Theresa has a conversation with Administrative Specialist Crystal Mantle about why these policies are important.

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Tags: Housing, TECC, Second-hand smoke, Smokefree laws, Social justice
What Are The Goals of Sexuality Education? Probably Not What You Think
March 19, 2019

What Are The Goals of Sexuality Education? Probably Not What You Think

By Clint Bruess, EdD and Elizabeth Schroeder, EdD, MSW | March 19, 2019
Dean Emeritus, University of Alabama at Birmingham (CB) and Sexuality Educator, Trainer and Consultant, Elizabeth Schroeder Consulting (ES)

Although sexuality education has changed significantly since the early 20th century, many of the goals still focus primarily on public health outcomes. Federal and state-level funding streams tend to focus, for example, on reducing unplanned pregnancy and avoiding STIs.

Now, don’t get us wrong—these are important parts of many sexuality education programs. If these are the only goals, however, they exclude other vital parts of who we are as human beings. 

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Tags: Sexual and reproductive health, K12, Sex education
We Love Pi! And Science! And Pie! Happy Pi Day!
March 14, 2019

We Love Pi! And Science! And Pie! Happy Pi Day!

By ETR | March 14, 2019

Here at ETR, we are crazy for science. In fact, science is deeply engrained in our organizational values, which proudly proclaim that “Science is Foundational” to all the work we do.

You can imagine how excited we get about Pi Day—a day to reflect on the power, wonder and promise of science. Last year in our Pi Day post, our team talked about some of the reasons we celebrate science. This year, we’re sharing up some thought-provoking bits of scientific research that we just think are mighty cool.

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Tags: ETR staff, Science
Health Teachers + Professional Development Make a True Difference for Students
March 13, 2019

Health Teachers + Professional Development Make a True Difference for Students

By Chris Moore, MS and Rachel Erisman | March 13, 2019
Health Educator/Assistant Soccer Coach (CM) and Health & Physical Education Instructor (RE), Fort Worth Independent School District

You could call us lucky health teachers. We are lucky enough to work within the Fort Worth Independent School District. For the last several years, FWISD has put a big emphasis on professional development (PD) for its health teachers.

This has helped us become stronger and better educators. It’s helped all our colleagues—both the seasoned vets and the newbies. Most importantly, it’s creating a more engaged and energetic health education environment for our students. We have some suggestions for educators who’d like to introduce more effective PD in their setting.

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Tags: School health education, School health, Physical education, Teachers, Professional development, HealthSmart, K12, Health education
I'm Getting Ready for Some Youth-Centered Design to Open My Mind
March 8, 2019

I'm Getting Ready for Some Youth-Centered Design to Open My Mind

By Josh Bettenhausen | March 8, 2019
Lead Technology & Marketing Officer, YTH

I’ve been working with youth-centered projects for well over a decade, both through my work at YTH and my experience as a designer. Here’s an essential point of learning from my experience: when it comes to youth, most of our assumptions are wrong. At the very least, they’re way off base, especially if we make those assumptions without getting youth directly and deeply involved in what we’re doing.

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Tags: Conference, Youth-centered design, Youth empowerment, Adolescent health, Technology, Youth voice, YTH
How High School Sex Ed Can Help Prevent Rape In College
March 6, 2019

How High School Sex Ed Can Help Prevent Rape In College

By Christopher Pepper | March 6, 2019
Health Education Content Specialist, San Francisco Unified School District

Comprehensive sexuality education helps young people make informed decisions, prevent unwanted pregnancies, and reduce their risks for sexually transmitted infections. But can it actually help prevent rape? A groundbreaking new study says it can.

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Tags: High school, Refusal skills, Rape prevention, Sex education
8 Tips for Creating a Digital Badging System: Recognize, Encourage and Affirm Youth Who Build Tech Skills
March 4, 2019

8 Tips for Creating a Digital Badging System: Recognize, Encourage and Affirm Youth Who Build Tech Skills

By Shannon Campe | March 4, 2019
Program Manager, ETR

What do you know about badges? I’m not talking about the patch you sew on your Girl Scout vest when you’ve completed your Space Science Explorer requirements. I’m talking about digital badges that people can share widely online.

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Tags: Digital Nest, STEM, STEM equity, STEM education
A Real Smoking Gun: Cigarettes, HIV and Cancer
February 26, 2019

A Real Smoking Gun: Cigarettes, HIV and Cancer

By BA Laris, MPH | February 26, 2019
Program Manager, ETR

Today, cancer is the leading cause of death of people living with HIV (PLWH). A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that between 1996 and 2009, there was a 50% increase in cancers of people living with HIV compared to the general population. Non-AIDS-related cancer deaths increased from 11% to 22%. People living with HIV had higher rates for 4 out of 5 forms of cancer. 

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Tags: Community Impact Solutions Project, CISP, HIV-AIDS, Tobacco prevention, Tobacco, HIV
Supporting Students, Teachers & Health Education through ESSA Funding
February 21, 2019

Supporting Students, Teachers & Health Education through ESSA Funding

By Daniel Hill, NBCT and Debbie Boian | February 21, 2019
Physical Education Instructor (DH) and Health Services Coordinator (DB), Fayette County Public Schools

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is transforming opportunities in health and physical education. We are moving away from federal mandates and into an era where local communities can step forward and create powerful, locally relevant programs in health and PE.

Finally! We have greater local control and an act that identifies health and PE as essential subjects in a well-rounded education. That means new funding is available to support exemplary health and PE programs. 

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Tags: Physical education, HealthSmart, School health, School health education, ESSA
Let's Talk About the Mistrust Trans Community Members Have for Researchers
February 19, 2019

Let's Talk About the Mistrust Trans Community Members Have for Researchers

By Bo James Hwang | February 19, 2019
Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Student, UCLA Extension

The All of Us Research Program, a project of the National Institutes of Health, aims to gather health data from one million people living in the United States. I was chosen to participate in one of the University of California, San Francisco’s research feedback sessions for the initiative.

Many of the trans and non-binary people participating in the feedback session discussed their personal experiences with medical providers and researchers. Many brought up the mistrust that trans people have for researchers. 

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Tags: Community voices, LGBTQ, Transgender, Health equity, Ethics, Research
Three Ways to Supercharge Your HealthSmart Lessons
February 13, 2019

Three Ways to Supercharge Your HealthSmart Lessons

By ETR | February 13, 2019

Here at ETR, we’re very proud of HealthSmart. This signature health education curriculum is a dynamic, exciting program for educators and students alike. HealthSmart supports the National Health Education Standards, National Sexuality Education Standards and Common Core State Standards. The lesson objectives and assessments are based on knowledge and skill expectations outlined in the Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT).

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Tags: Teachers, School health education, Health education, HealthSmart
Building Health Skills: Analyzing Influences
February 7, 2019

Building Health Skills: Analyzing Influences

By Suzanne Schrag | February 7, 2019
Editor/Project Manager, ETR

What makes young people do the things they do? And how does this affect their choices about health and risk?

Young people’s health behaviors can be influenced by a number of different factors, including family, friends, entertainment and social media, fads and trends, and their own internal attitudes and beliefs. One particularly powerful area of influence is the family, peer and social norms they see reflected in the actions and values of those around them. The things they see—and, sometimes even more important, the things they think they see (the perceived norms)—can either support or discourage healthy behaviors.

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Tags: Health education, School health education, K12, HealthSmart
HIV: Strengths-Based Approaches Can Help Us Reach UNAIDS 90-90-90 Goals
February 5, 2019

HIV: Strengths-Based Approaches Can Help Us Reach UNAIDS 90-90-90 Goals

By BA Laris, MPH | February 5, 2019
Program Manager, ETR

I recently had the privilege of attending an engaging and provocative conference in Ontario, Canada. The Ontario HIV Treatment Network hosted HIV Endgame 3: Breakthrough Initiatives research conference in December. The conference provided two days of presentations and discussions to propel members of the HIV network both in Ontario and globally towards ending the HIV epidemic.

I was invited to deliver an interactive workshop on linkage to care. In the workshop, we explored one of our most promising behavioral strategies for achieving the end of AIDS: using a strengths-based approach to reach those who are not yet in medical care.

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Tags: Community Impact Solutions Project, Strengths based, HIV, HIV cascade of care, Undetectable=untransmittable, HIV prevention
Professional Development for Teachers Makes Health Education Soar
January 29, 2019

Professional Development for Teachers Makes Health Education Soar

By Georgi Roberts and Brooke Sharples  | January 29, 2019
Director of Health & Physical Education (GR) and Health Education Coordinator Fort Worth Independent School District (BS)

We are passionate about health education. We believe in educating youth to give them the skills to make good health decisions. If we don’t take these steps, it’s hardly fair for us to expect young people to make the right choices about their health.

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Tags: Training design, HealthSmart, Teachers, Professional development, School health education
My Alternate Reality: I'm a Student and I'm Not On Social Media
January 24, 2019

My Alternate Reality: I'm a Student and I'm Not On Social Media

By Jessica Hilger | January 22, 2019
Second year undergraduate, Santa Clara University

As a high school senior, I wrote a college admission essay about why I chose not to be on social media. Today, halfway through my second year in college, I have some additional thoughts about social media in my life. But let’s start with where I was as a high school senior.

I was able to survive all of my teenage years without being on any form of social media at all. 

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Tags: Technology, Texting, High school, Social media, Teens

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