By Amber McCammon | Executive Director Facilities and Programs
To the generous donors of our GlobalGiving At Home Discovery Kit campaign,
We are excited to announce that At Home Discovery Kit 9 is scheduled to be distributed in summer 2024 with the important theme of Human Hygiene and Hazard Preparedness. This free discovery kit, curated for middle grades and high school-aged youth, will be distributed to families on the islands of St Thomas, St Croix, St John and Water Island. Understanding human hygiene practices and being prepared for hazards during the Atlantic hurricane season is vital for ensuring the physical and emotional well-being of children and families. As hurricanes can bring about significant challenges and disruptions, having knowledge of proper hygiene measures, such as handwashing and sanitation, is essential to prevent the spread of illnesses and maintain health during and after storms and other hazards. Further, being prepared for potential hazards is essential to protect the health and safety of individuals, particularly children, and to support their emotional resilience during and after impactful events.
Underserved communities such as the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) are those in the most need of educational support and complimentary learning opportunities. A staggering 33% of USVI children are categorized as living below the poverty level by the US Census Bureau. Therefore, to ensure an accessible and enriching learning journey, this discovery kit will include all the supplies needed to complete the projects therein, empowering users to explore human health and hazard preparedness from the comfort of their homes. Learners will have the opportunity to engage in a hands-on science experiment, designed to model how viruses coated with a variety of fats and proteins, are effectively pulled apart by the nonpolar regions of soaps and sanitizers. A reusable shopping bag will house kit contents which will include relevant activity books, colored pencils, erasers, glue sticks, individual hand sanitizer, individual hand soap, pencil case, pencil sharpener, scissors, toothbrushes with toothpaste, pepper packets (for the science experiment), and a manual powered hand crank flashlight. Kit contents align with Next Generation Science Standards and Ready.gov family emergency planning guidelines, bringing high value educational content to youth throughout the territory in an informal and fun way.
By promoting hygiene practices and hazard preparedness, this discovery kit will aid children and families in better safeguarding their physical health and emotional well-being, ensuring a more secure and resilient response to the impacts of hurricanes and other potential hazards in the USVI. The At Home Discovery Kit program is an ongoing GlobalGiving.org fundraising initiative: At Home Discovery Kits for VI Families (47832). Thank you for helping us help kids Explore, Play, Discover, at home.
Sincerely,
The VICM Team
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