A Life Worth Living: Teenagers, The Family, and Health
Honolulu, Hawaii - 21 May 1997
A one-day retreat was planned and developed by PPSEAWA member Deidra Freitas, who teaches a young parent class at Farrington High School .
It was about 8:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 21st when 14 girls and seven adults boarded a bus at Farrington HS - three PPSEAWA members, two teachers who are also PPSEAWA members, a public health nurse and a friend. They drove to Camp Timberline, a 10 acre nature reserve in the mountains about 2,000 ft. above sea level.
On arrival at the camp, the director announced that this would be a fun day. Actually the day was planned to create trust and build self-esteem and self-confidence through games and activities - not through preaching - and finally to relate the whole to real life. The morning started a little stiffly, but during the bean bag toss around a circle while we learned each other's names, the giggling and bonding began. The leader, Pat Brown, has had a lot of experience. The day was calculated to create love and trust, as well as to build confidence and engender cooperation in creative thinking. There was little lecturing but a few salient points would be dropped here and there when they fit into what was happening. Activities went from the individual level to 2 teams and then to a common endeavor. The Timberline events concluded with a group hug and then individual hug around the room. I thought it very moving when the whole circle of our team's hug moved over to include Rohma who was sitting on a chair outside the group on the floor.
When asked what they thought they would be doing five years hence, the answers ranged all the way from the first girl, who said she didn't expect to be living then, to those who hope to go to college.
Some of the girls who have had little childhood and fun, but many pressures, questioned "A Life Worth Living." Among the messages resulting from the games and activities wan talk about accomplishing "things" by setting attainable goals and recognizing self-worth.
Deidra had planned, further self-care and self esteem building after the physical activities. Her friend taught a little about massage and some yoga to increase bodily well-being and then brought out booklets for each girl about one's "colors," and "did" those who requested it.
Each girl received a "goody bag" which contained booklets an STDs, AIDS prevention, domestic violence, health facilities, and many other things as well as a police whistle, the PPSEAWA poster and another on healthful eating. Among those who contributed to this project were: the Honolulu Police Dept., who gave the whistles, the Kalihi-Palama Public Health nurses, the Kokua-Kalihi Comprehensive Health Center, the Air Force (gave pens), and the Lanakila Comprehensive Health Center.
The camp director related well with the girls as she was an unwed mother at 17. She had another child 18 years later, and told the girls that later was definitely better. If they were not already pregnant or did not already have a child, she recommended waiting.
Before leaving, the PPSEAWA members told something about their organization and their joining with UNESCO to sponsor the day, It was almost 4:00 o'clock when the girls boarded the bus to go back to school and then home - some to their babies.
The camp director commented that no group had ever done the joint problem-solving exercises as quickly as these girls, showing how well they cooperated even without previously knowing the others and coming from vastly different backgrounds. The girls were from several school classes including the Campus Health Center. One of the results of the day was the formation of friendships. Deidra reports that the girls continue to tell her how much fun they had and PPSEAWA members feel that another segment of the community is now aware of their organisation.
Reported by Mildred Jones
Last Modified: November 29, 2002