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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Lifestyle
Tuesday, August 27, 2002
Weinacht attends medical conference
Miss Lara Weinacht, of Pecos, attended the National Youth Leadership Forum
on Medicine (NYLF/MED) in Los Angeles, Calif., from July 7-16.
Having demonstrated academic achievement and an interest in a career related
to science and health, Weinacht joined more than 400 outstanding high school
juniors and seniors from across the United States at the Forum. Students
learned first-hand about medical ethics, the global effects of infectious
disease, genetic research, public health and many other subjects relevant
to the field.
"The National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine offers students like
Lara Weinacht a chance to complement their classroom experience," said Donna
Snyder, executive director of the NYLF. "This will enhance the current knowledge
of these students, providing a glimpse at where they might find themselves
within the medical universe," said Snyder.
"It's never too early in a young person's life to start exploring which
career to pursue. We give these students a behind-the-scenes look of what
it takes to become a medical professional," she said.
Dr. Roscoe Atkinson, associate clinical professor at University of California
_ Los Angeles, welcomed the students to L.A. and set the tone for NYLF/MED.
"In the field of medicine, we need to take greater advantage of advances
in technology," he said. "Currently, medical students are most accustomed
to utilizing high-tech gadgetry because so many grow up in households with
computers. As you all consider your future in medicine, be prepared to lead
members of older generations who may be stuck in the `old ways' of doing
medicine."
During NYLF/MED, students had the opportunity to visit some of the best
institutions of medical learning and research in the country, including:
University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine; University of Southern
California Keck School of Medicine; Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific;
and several others. Not only did students visit these renowned places, they
also interacted with doctors, nurses, scientist and professors to gather
a greater understanding of medical history, standards and trends.
Throughout the program, Weinacht and fellow students experienced problem-based
learning in a series of intense and stimulating simulations, many exercises
of which are faced by students in medical school. NYLF/MED culminated in
the Public Health Symposium, in which students developed programs to directly
impact their communities on the issues of adolescent health, health care
for the elderly and chronic disease, among others. The goal of the exercise
was to encourage the students to develop and implement programs that address
concerns on public health issues in their communities.
"Many who participate in our program arrive thinking they have a clear
idea of the type of medicine they want to practice," said Snyder. "By opening
new doors for them, students can confirm or adjust their professional plans
accordingly prior to college," shes aid.
The NYLF is a non-profit, educational organization that brings various
professions to life, empowering outstanding high school students with confidence
to make well-informed career choices. For additional information on NYLF
programs, visit us on the Internet at www.nylf.org.
Free lunch applications available
The Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD school offers a choice of healthy meals each
school day. Children may buy lunch for $1.10; $1.25 or $1.40.
Breakfast for students in kindergarten through sixth grade is .75 cents
and for 7-12 grades is .80 cents.
Children who qualify under U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines may
get meals free or at a reduced-price of .30 cents for lunch and .40 cents
for breakfast.
All meals served must meet nutrition standards established by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. If a child has a disability, as determined by
a doctor, and the disability prevents the child from eating the regular school
meal, the school will make substitutions prescribed by the doctor. If a substitution
is needed, there will be no extra charge for the meal.
However, the school is not required to make a substitution for food allergy,
unless it meets the definition of disability.
Parents/guardians may apply for free and reduced-price meals at any time
during the school year.
For more information contact the food services department at 447-7266.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2002 by Pecos Enterprise
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