Florida Literacy CoalitionFlorida Literacy CoalitionFlorida Literacy Coalition

 

Florida Health Literacy Initiative

 

2012 Health Literacy Grants Announced

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In May 2012, Florida Blue and FLC awarded the following 18 organizations with health literacy grants of up to $5,000.

Collier County Housing Authority Land, Inc.
Common Unity
DeSoto County Education Foundation
East & West Area Adult Schools/Polk Education Foundation
Echo
El Sol - Jupiter's Neighborhood Resource Center
First Baptist Church of DeLeon Springs
Flagler County Schools
Florida State College at Jacksonville

GROWS Literacy Council, Inc.
International Learning Center of Jacksonville
International Rescue Committee
Literacy Volunteers of Gadsden County, Inc.
Marion County Literacy Council, Inc.
Miami-Dade College - Hialeah Campus
Sarasota YMCA
S.B. Idea, Inc.
World Relief Jacksonville


Greg Smith, Executive Director of FLC, Sharon Hackney, Senior Manager of Community Affairs of Florida Blue, and the 2012 health literacy grant recipients. The Florida Health Literacy Initiative, now in its fourth year, includes both new and returning programs.

Through the generous support of Florida Blue, FLC has offered this health literacy grant to 38 different organizations in Florida. Over 4,870 students and families have received health literacy instruction.
 
Making a Difference in Student Lives (2011 Program Data)

Average student improvement in health literacy assessment scores:  31%

Students reported that they:

We welcome you to take advantage of the many health literacy resources on the FLC website and on our online health literacy community.

For questions, please contact Maribeth Buie at (407)246-7110 ext. 209 or via e-mail at buiem@floridaliteracy.org.

Made possible through the generous support of Florida Blue.


Upcoming Health Literacy Trainings:


“Teaching Health to Low-Literate Adult ESOL Students”
Presented by Lori Cabrera, ESOL Department Head, East & West Area Adult Schools, Polk County

 
Webinar
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
10 A.M. - 11 A.M.

Pre-registration is required – to register online click here.



Health Literacy Classroom Projects:


The Florida Literacy Coalition is very proud of the projects that 2009, 2010 and 2011 grant programs have completed. Project-based learning is a power activity that engages and empowers students to utilize the information they learned in the classroom and apply it in a larger context.

During the 2011-2012 grant year:

New Beginnings (Flagler County Schools)
coordinated with a local elementary school to plant, maintain, and harvest a vegetable garden. They used the fresh produce in healthy recipes and developed their own cookbook.

Students from Motivational Edge created and produced a rap regarding health knowledge and nutrition.

S.B. Idea developed a reference book about the health knowledge they learned and provided sample dialogues between providers and their patients.

Students from Florida State College at Jacksonville took favorite recipes, made healthy substitutions, and gathered to share them.

East and West Area Schools (Polk County Educational Foundation) created meal plans in small groups and included new healthy recipe options.

Project-based learning and partnership-building ideas from the 2011-2012 grant year:

  • Host a health fair, block party, or community bazaar partnering with community organizations to provide Body Mass Index education, blood pressure screenings, cholesterol checks, diabetes information, nutrition guidelines, etc.

  • Partner with an elementary school to grow a vegetable garden.

  • Have students make favorite family recipes using healthy ingredients, and develop a recipe book. Host a food tasting; get students to develop daily/weekly healthy menus to post on YouTube.

  • Invite the medical/safety community to present to the class: a doctor, a nurse, a dentist, a WIC representative, a diabetes specialist, a massage therapist, CPR affiliate, fire department, hospital.
  • Partner with a local gym to offer free short-term memberships to students with the possibility of scholarship assistance later on; invite a Zumba/aerobics instructor to create a fun video to distribute.

During the 2010-2011 grant year:
South Florida Community College made adorable holiday
bookmarks. The bookmarks were created with a Christmas theme and had handy health information.

Students at DeSoto County Education Foundation were part of an interactive nutrition project that included, research, grocery shopping, and a cooking lesson.

Three River Regional Library System had a popular Hispanic Festival and Health Fair.

During the 2009-2010 grant year:
The Adult Learning Center of Osceola had an extremely successful health fair with many county agencies and organizations sharing information. ESOL students at all levels participated and took valuable resources home.

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County created a student cookbook. This cookbook is comprised of recipes from the native countries of the adult learners. As a class, students adapted recipes to include healthier ingredients. Download a pdf copy of the cookbook.


During pilot testing:

The Florida Literacy Coalition would like to thank Orlando Tech, United Methodist Cooperative Ministries, and GROWS Literacy Council for their outstanding efforts in field-testing the materials. Below are some samples of student-led projects that were produced during the pilot program. Our thanks go to the teachers and students for their great work.

Staying Healthy (.mov) - Orlando Tech, Instructor: Ms. Sonia Magarinos.
A movie written and acted out by the students. As part of the project, the teacher arranged for this movie to play on a looping basis on the school’s CCTV system. Requires Quicktime or a program that will play .mov files.

Doctor Song (.mp4) - Orlando Tech, Instructor: Mr. Anevil Joselin.
A song written and performed by the students. As part of the project, the class performed for another class at the center. Requires Quicktime or an mp4 compatible player.

Weekly Menu (.pdf) - Orlando Tech, Instructor: Ms. Myriam Oualit.
A sample weekly menu for people with diabetes researched and compiled by the students. As part of the project, students gave an oral presentation about diabetes and the menu they created to another class at their center. Requires Adobe Acrobat Viewer.

Using English at the Hospital (.pdf) - United Methodist Cooperative Ministries,
Instructor: Ms. Tracey Tyber.
A “phrase book”- like pamphlet in English and Spanish developed by the students. As part of the project, the students distributed copies of the pamphlet to family, friends, and neighbors. Requires Adobe Acrobat Viewer.


Learn More About Project-Based Learning:

Overview on Project-Based Learning (.pdf file)

PowerPoint on Project-Based Learning (.ppt file)


Health Literacy Press Releases

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and the Florida Literacy Coalition Award Health Literacy Grants
May 27, 2011

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Receives Outstanding Business Partner for Contribution to Literacy
May 21, 2011

Florida Literacy Coalition Receives 2010 National Health Literacy Innovator Award
November 8th, 2010

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Award Health Literacy Grants
May 21, 2010

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Provides Grants to Support Health Literacy
March 08, 2010

Local Health Literacy Grants Made Available Through the Support of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
June 13, 2009

BCBSF and FLC Establish Florida Health Literacy Grants Program
February 11, 2009


Additional Health Literacy Resources:


Florida Health Literacy NING
An online social networking site where health literacy practitioners and stakeholders can come together, access resources, and share challenges and successes.

Click here to view a list of additional links to health literacy resources.

Return to the Health Literacy Main Page.

Last Updated: 05/24/12


 

 

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