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Student Level Requirements

Students who want to apply to the INSight Youth Corps must:

  • Be a high school student in grades 9-12;
  • Submit an application for review to their school's youth Corps faculty advisor;
  • Obtain at least one faculty recommendation;
  • Obtain at least one student recommendation;
  • Meet any additional requirements established by their school.

Upon acceptance, students will be expected to:

  • Obtain parental permission;
  • Commit to one academic year of INSight Youth Corps participation;
  • Complete an INSight Youth Corps Pledge form;
  • Participate in a minimum of three hours of INSight Youth Corps training;
  • Attend INSight Youth Corps meetings as scheduled at their school;
  • Share INSight Youth Corps concerns with Faculty Advisor.

Training

All INSight Youth Corps members must participate in a minimum of three hours of training. It is important that all INSight Youth Corps members receive basic training and skill building so they are equipped to deliver effective and accurate health messages to their peers. The INSight Youth Corps training will include the following components:

  • Review of handbook and project requirements
  • Introduction to INShape Indiana
  • Review of the INSight Youth Corps Web site
  • Basic health information on nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco cessation
  • Leadership
  • Teamwork
  • Public speaking
  • Identifying strengths and weaknesses
  • Health professionals and careers
  • Assessment
  • Evaluation and reporting requirements

Additional training may be made available throughout the duration of the program as needed. If an INSight Youth Corps would like additional training, please discuss this with your faculty advisor and community advisor.

INSight Youth Corps Project Implementation

Each INSight Youth Corps must implement at least one project from each of the following two categories during the academic year:

Category A - Peer Health Education

Each INSight Youth Corps must offer peer health education in the classroom for students who are younger or the same age. Peer health education must address at least one of the INShape Indiana health messages; nutrition, physical activity, or avoiding tobacco use. INSight Youth Corps members should be actively involved in choosing curriculum and identifying the targeted peer group. A list of recommended health curriculums, teaching tools, and resources can be found on the INSight Youth Corps Web site. Peer health education projects that use curricula or resources from other sources should be reviewed by faculty advisors and community advisors to ensure that appropriate, accurate, high-quality messages are being promoted and that Indiana Academic Standards are identified. Community advisors will also be available to provide all INSight Youth Corps members with project training, guidance and suggestions.

Category B - Creative Health Project

Each INSight Youth Corps must conduct at least one creative health project during the academic year that addresses nutrition, physical activity, and/or tobacco prevention or cessation. INSight Youth Corps are encouraged to spread healthy living messages using their creative talents and interests. A few examples include:

  • Create a quarterly health newsletter for your school or community;
  • Propose health related policy changes within your school such as healthier food choices in the school cafeteria and vending machines, incorporating physical activity into the school day for all students and school personnel, or implementing a tobacco free campus policy;
  • Host a school or community health fair.;
  • Investigate health behaviors within your school, possibly creating a survey asking students and faculty about their current tobacco, nutrition, and/or physical activity habits;
  • Encourage physical activity within your school. An example may be organizing a school or community walk;
  • Disseminate health information. such as distributing health brochures to students, school faculty or community members or publicizing health messages on your school's TV or radio station or during morning announcements;
  • Create an artistic health display. Examples might be a poster that depicts the negative effects of tobacco use or a health-related mural.
  • Conduct a health essay contest. An example might be to encourage students and staff to write essays on success stories on how they have improved their health habits over the last year.
  • Write a grant application

Special Note:

If schools encounter significant barriers in completing a project from one of the categories, this issue should be brought to the attention of the community advisor and exceptions will be made on a case by case basis.

Reporting

Project description forms can be found on the INSight Youth Corps Web site and must be completed within two weeks of any INSight Youth Corps activities. As students develop and implement a project, these reporting requirements should be planned for.