CWC's 2007 ESTRELLA AWARD
TAOS, NM - FLAVIO LOPEZ was honored May 19, 2007 at the CWC 2007 Estrella Award for his work with youth as the Health and Physical Education teacher at Taos Middle School and the Taos High School where he is the head softball coach and a football coach. Graduating from UNM in 2000, he began teaching and coaching that same year here in Taos. At that time, CWC began delivering the first reproductive health classes during the health
period at TMS in partnership with Flavio.
After many years in the works, this past February CWC held the first Health Night at Taos Middle School in conjunction with Flavio, with 50 parents and 42 youth attending. The evening was designed to get parents involved in the health and well being of their children.
Flavio and his wife Trini have three boys: Andres, Xavier, and Diego. Their love and support are an inspiration for him, along with his parents Frutoso and Velma Lopez.
REAL MAN BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT 2007
TAOS, NM - Community Wellness Center held the 2007 Real Man Basketball Tournament at Taos High. Photos to come soon!
NATIONAL DAY TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY
May 2, 2007;
Teens in Taos & Nationwide To Take Quiz
TAOS, NM - Community Wellness Center will reach up to 1,000 teens in Taos County, and hundreds of thousands of teens nationwide are expected to participate in the sixth annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on May 2, 2007 (www.teenpregnancy.org).
The message of the National Day is straightforward: Sex has consequences. The online quiz (available in English and Spanish) delivers this message directly to teens designed for ages 13 and up, and challenges them to think carefully about what they might do "in the moment."
“It is so important that our County is participating in the National Day, reaching high school teens during the lunch hour at Mesa Vista, Questa, Penasco and Taos with accurate information about the consequences of risky behavior,” said Community Wellness Center Director Kimberly Lavender. “While teen birth rates are on the decline nationally, New Mexico’s rate has declined only marginally, actually rising to the third highest in the nation with up to 50 teens a year become moms in Taos County. New Mexico leads the nation in teen pregnancy rates for ages 15-17,” Lavender said.
Since its inception as the Taos County Maternal and Child Health Council in 1993, CWC has served as a hub for health education and youth development in Taos County; believing that adolescent pregnancy rates can be reduced through sustained community-wide efforts that involve youth and families, proven interventions and advocacy. In the past year, over 500 Taos County youth have benefited from our prevention programs Peer Health Education, girltime, and Puentes.
Making a Difference: Over 800,000 individuals took the National Day Quiz in 2006. A survey of the some of the teens that participated in the 2006 National Day indicates:
83% said the Quiz made them think about what they might do in such situations;
69% said the Quiz made the risks of sex and teen pregnancy seem more real to them;
59% said they’d talk to their friends about the situations described in the Quiz; and
58% said the Quiz made them think about things they hadn’t thought about before.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
2007 Health Night sponsored by CWC and Taos Middle School
After three years of networking within the Taos Middle Schools (TMS), a very successful and informative Health Night came to fruition this February with 50 parents and 42 youth attending. The evening was designed to get parents involved in the health and well being of their children.
Five teams of young professionals who have high visibility and contact with students, offered 25 minutes sessions where parents could learn, share their concerns, and find resources. A short presentation by Dottie Montoya, TMS Site based Clinic, was delivered before parents went into these breakout sessions.
Presentations were delivered from representatives from the following programs: CWC girltime, CWC Peer Health Education, Taos Schools Tobacco Prevention, TMS counseling staff, and Child Protective services.
Thanks to the community for their donations and support! The TMS Student Council provided snacks; Taos Mountain Casino donated gas vouchers for the parent raffle, and TMS provided free movie passes. TMS students, the TMS Student Council, and supervisors were ushers for the event.
TAOS SKATES FOR YOUTH
Fundraiser March 3 at CWC
Taos Skates for Youth, CWC Skate-A-Thon fundraiser, was held March 3, 2007. For information on sponsoring a participant in the next Skate-a-Thon, call 758-9343 to get a sponsorship form. Sponsored participants skated in 15 minute blocks at the Taos Youth and Family Center and enjoyed educational booths, prizes, and much more.
| • LATEST
NEWS • Job Openings at CWC • Estrella Awards 2007: • Flavio Lopez honored • Real Man Tournament 2007 |
• UPCOMING
EVENTS • To be announced |
• COMMUNITY
SERVICES • Taos C.A.R.E.S. • Taos Clean Air |
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