Nursing Students Share Health Lessons with Kids in Chicago: Photogallery

Students in Trinity’s nursing program recently shared their knowledge with children in the afterschool program at By the Hand Club for Kids in Chicago.

The upper-level nursing students travelled to the club’s Englewood location on November 1 to present a health fair to the children. Other nursing students returned on November 5 to present to the parents. The students shared the importance of good hygiene, exercise, fire safety, and other health concerns.

Dr. Barb Timmermans, professor of nursing, believes the fair was a good opportunity for the senior nursing students in her Community Health class.

“One important focus of [Community Health] is improving the overall health of groups of people, not just individual patients,” Timmermans said. “With this project, nursing students are able to assess community needs and then create health promotion activities and plans to help improve the health of this community.”

With this project, nursing students are able to assess community
needs and then create health promotion activities and plans…

Tabitha Matthews, the College’s pre-college coordinator, established the connection with By the Hand Club for Kids to increase Trinity’s involvement in the city. She hopes to continue bringing the students and afterschool program together. Helping in the efforts to plan the event were the department’s Carrie Timmermans ’11 and Cynthia Coffey ’12.

“Our partnership with by The Hand has been a blessing,” Matthews said. “I’m grateful for each and every opportunity we have to minister and make a difference.”

The nursing students also gave a health fair at Restoration Ministries in Harvey, Illinois, on November 10.

About By the Hand

By the Hand’s afterschool program began in 2001 and now serves more than 850 children in its four Chicago locations. The locations are strategically located in Chicago’s most impoverished inner-city communities and underfunded schools. The club tries to reach the children’s mind, body, and soul.