The Signature | October 27, 2017

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It's a Coach Thing Shout out to the Sigonella Swordfish Coaches

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Chills and Thrills

From CREDO

2017 Autumnfest was a Terror-ific Time

Sign up for ASIST Workshop Scheduled for Oct 30-31

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N A S SIG O N E L L A

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OCTOBER 27, 2017

Vol. 34 No. 40

Sigonella Students Learn: “Your Future is Key - So Stay Drug Free!”

SIGONELLA, Sicily (October 23, 2017) – Lt. Mark Knutson, Health Promotion Coordinator, and Giuseppe Licari, Health Promotion Assistant, teach Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella elementary school students about the different parts of the brain as part of Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon Week is a week dedicated to raise awareness and pledge to “stamp out” illegal drugs, tobacco and alcohol among kindergarten to 5th grade students. NAS Sigonella is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed and when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Gordon/Released) By MC2 Christopher Gordon NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – During the week of Oct. 23 to 27 an estimated 80 million people all across America participate in Red Ribbon Week,

including the Sigonella Elementary School. Red Ribbon Week is a weeklong campaign aimed toward children in kindergarten through 5th grade to promote a healthy and drug-free lifestyle. This year’s theme is “your futu-

SIGONELLA, Sicily (October 23, 2017) – Lt. Mark Knutson, Health Promotion Coordinator, and Giuseppe Licari, Health Promotion Assistant, teach Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella elementary school students how to say no to drugs as part of Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon Week is a week dedicated to raise awareness and pledge to “stamp out” illegal drugs, tobacco and alcohol among kindergarten to 5th grade students. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Gordon/Released)

re is key – so stay drug free.” Lt. Mark Knutson, the Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella Health Promotion Coordinator, along with Giuseppe Licari, Health Promotion Assistant, presented fun, interactive 45-minute classes to Sigonella’s elementary students. “The 4th and 5th graders are more about peer learning so we did some role playing; it’s something they can participate in and remember while not getting lectured to,” said Knutson. “The younger ones are a little bit more about hands on, and we use visual displays, so it’s all about what makes the information stick.” For the younger classes, Knutson and Licari used three different colors of Play-Doh, and molded together into a human brain. From there, the kids discovered what parts of the brain were responsible for balance, personality and breathing, then learned what drugs do to those parts of the brain. “In order teach you have to keep the audience engaged, and they’re children so you lose their attention pretty quickly,” laughed Knutson. “So we tried something new and got the kids talking about the brain and building a brain model. So once the kids can understand that, and feel it, and play with the Play-Doh, I think

they can make that bridge that your brain can be altered by a variety of things.” The Health Promotion team visited a total of 21 classrooms in less than a week to promote the drug-free message, and both deeply enjoy the classroom visits. “I think it’s great, I love seeing their little wheels working and it’s just so easy to see things click,” said Knutson. “The best part of teaching kids is they actually listen, and they are interested in what you have to say as long as you bring it to them in a way they understand.” Red Ribbon Week began as a result of the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985. His efforts as a DEA agent in Mexico led to a tip that resulted in the discovery and eradication of a drug production operation. But as a result, drug cartels sought revenge by murdering key informants, and ultimately killing Camarena and his pilot, Capt. Zavala-Avelar. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the three most widely used drugs by youth are alcohol, prescription drugs, and marijuana. A study

"STUDENTS" cont’d on Page 12


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