Location: Erie Neighborhood House 1701 W Superior
St, Chicago, 60622
Dates of Position: February 5th, 2019 – May 2nd,
2019
• Mandatory Training: 10:00am–12:00pm on February 5th and 7th
• Programming: February 12, 2019 – May 2, 2019
• Mandatory Training: 10:00am–12:00pm on February 5th and 7th
• Programming: February 12, 2019 – May 2, 2019
o Tuesdays and Thursdays,
9:00am-12:00pm
o Feedback Session: May 2, 2019
Compensation: $1000 stipend
Erie House, Health Programs, and Super H-Itos Summary:
Erie Neighborhood House, a community-based organization serving Chicago’s West Town, Little Village, and Humboldt Park neighborhoods since 1870, promotes a just and inclusive society by strengthening low-income, primarily Latino families through skill-building, access to critical resources, advocacy and collaborative action.
Erie Neighborhood House, a community-based organization serving Chicago’s West Town, Little Village, and Humboldt Park neighborhoods since 1870, promotes a just and inclusive society by strengthening low-income, primarily Latino families through skill-building, access to critical resources, advocacy and collaborative action.
Serving the low-income, primarily immigrant, Latino
community, Erie House knows that the health of our community’s children and
families is mediated by poverty and other crucial social determinants of
health. As of 2012, an estimated 39.4% of Mexican-American children ages
2-19 are overweight, compared with 27.9% of their non-Hispanic white counterparts1.
Studies have shown that Hispanic children experience the negative effects of
obesity including elevated blood pressure, hypertension and low self-esteem,
more often than non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white children2. For
a community that is ravaged by diabetes, heart disease and obesity, especially
among its children, a program is needed that can successfully combat many of
these challenges in a culturally competent context.
Super H-Itos is a preventive health curriculum for preschoolers
created to complement existing programs for elementary school students and
parents. All Erie House health programs utilize a modeling strategy, as true
family transformation is most lasting when parents/teachers and children learn
similar ideas and model new, healthy behaviors to one another.
The Super H-Itos curriculum was built with the following
objectives:
✓ integrating fruits and vegetables into the participants’ diets,
✓ increasing movement,
✓ developing self-esteem as a critical element of mental and physical health.
✓ integrating fruits and vegetables into the participants’ diets,
✓ increasing movement,
✓ developing self-esteem as a critical element of mental and physical health.
The end goal is exposure to healthy lifestyles and
habits.
The role of the Super H-Itos interns is to facilitate a
health-focused curriculum and to model a healthy lifestyle in preschool
classrooms. Each intern is assigned to one classroom and will spend two
mornings each week leading the children in different art, movement, food, and
literary activities. It’s a fun and playful environment!
Supervisor: Micaella Verro, Director of Health
Programs
Qualifications:
• Currently enrolled in Undergraduate or Graduate degree program, preferably with a focus on public health, education, and/or early childhood
• Prior experience working with children preferred
• Able to take initiative in leading activities for preschoolers
• Able to work with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures
• Successful completion of a background check and TB test (MANDATORY)
• Interest in any of the following: early childhood, health and wellness, Latino(a) populations, leadership development, curriculum creation
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred, though not required
• Currently enrolled in Undergraduate or Graduate degree program, preferably with a focus on public health, education, and/or early childhood
• Prior experience working with children preferred
• Able to take initiative in leading activities for preschoolers
• Able to work with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures
• Successful completion of a background check and TB test (MANDATORY)
• Interest in any of the following: early childhood, health and wellness, Latino(a) populations, leadership development, curriculum creation
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred, though not required
Duties:
• Participate in all training meetings and activities
• Lead 12-20 preschoolers through a series of activities focused on health, wellness, and nutrition, with the assistance of classroom teacher
• Be an active member of the H-Itos community:
o Participate and engage in intern meetings
o Communicate regularly with program supervisors and classroom teachers
o Provide feedback on curriculum and your individual experience
• Model healthy behaviors in and out of the classroom
• Be consistent, punctual, and engaged in the classroom
• Follow prescribed lesson plans, but adapt creatively to your students’ needs when required
• Engage thoughtfully with the curriculum, the preschool environment, other interns, and the overall program
• Participate in quarterly observations, mid-year evaluations, and year-end assessments
• Participate in all training meetings and activities
• Lead 12-20 preschoolers through a series of activities focused on health, wellness, and nutrition, with the assistance of classroom teacher
• Be an active member of the H-Itos community:
o Participate and engage in intern meetings
o Communicate regularly with program supervisors and classroom teachers
o Provide feedback on curriculum and your individual experience
• Model healthy behaviors in and out of the classroom
• Be consistent, punctual, and engaged in the classroom
• Follow prescribed lesson plans, but adapt creatively to your students’ needs when required
• Engage thoughtfully with the curriculum, the preschool environment, other interns, and the overall program
• Participate in quarterly observations, mid-year evaluations, and year-end assessments
___________________________________________________________________
Contact: Micaella Verro, MPH Director, Health and
Leadership Programs Erie Neighborhood House 1347 W Erie St., Chicago, IL 60642
312-432-2212 (o) 360-609-4408 (m) mverro@eriehouse.org
