NORTH HAVEN —  Quinnipiac University nursing students will be teaching life skills to some Waterbury elementary school students this semester.

This pilot program came to fruition with help from Health360, a nonprofit group that promotes “health equity in underserved communities” according to the group’s mission statement. For nursing students, this program serves as a course titled “Community and Public Health Nursing Fieldwork Experience.”

“For Quinnipiac and for Health360 this is a new program where the actual curriculum that we’re implementing is new,” said Erica Mumm, clinical assistant professor of nursing. “On the Quinnipiac side, this is the first time that we’re partnering with Health360 and we are looking forward to having a long term relationship with them and continue to be in the Waterbury community.” 

Nursing students will also be working with Dora Penavic and Adalain Meier,  Americorps Vista members.

The program the Americorps members and the nursing students will be implementing is based on Botvin LifeSkills Training, “evidence-based prevention programs for schools, families, and communities,” according to the Botvin website.

“The topics that we’re going to cover this fall are self-esteem, decision making, smoking information and advertising,” said Penavic. 

Quinnipiac and Health360 will be teaching classroom lessons at Carrington Elementary School in Waterbury starting Wednesday.

“Anytime that you have programs that give students a space and a place to be able to learn to develop skills that they might not normally or necessarily have is a good thing,” said nursing student Nicole Bowers. “When that opportunity allows them to build life skills such that they are able to be more productive human beings and citizens, it’s always a good thing.”  

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