Welcome!

Science, health, social justice, and community. What do these things have in common you might ask? They are things that bring together the world of health science. While many people think about visiting the doctor's office when they hear the word health there is a vast world of occupations that impact not only our personal health but also global health. While we look at how things like a food desert in a Chicago community, impacts the health of residents, and how that leads to increased risk for of heart disease that is health science. These amazing students have learned about calories, the body system, and diseases while meeting working professionals in the field of medicine and health. Be sure to check out their essays and poems on some of the health issues that they felt mattered and were important to them.

Health Science Explorers visit to Northwestern University's Physical Therapy program
image courtesy of After School Matters

New Page. New Start

Bonjour, Ladies and Gents I'm Jailyn  ( Jay-Lyn) 



I am a sophomore that attends King College Prep, Gooo Jaguars. I am a Taurus. I am the youngest of two. ALSO, I love listening to music from old school to present day but, one of my favorite old school songs is .... I don't have one. I am also a wild card if I want to do something I would just do it, Nike sign. Lol get it ? <- "Just do it" ... Nike... no? OK.



I find myself very entertaining, loving, caring, some people might say that I'm arrogant. Overall I  am trustworthy, silly, funny, irritating, crazy, different, and hard-head. I am an returnee of Health Science Explorers for three terms. I decided to come to Health Science not only because I knew Mikki since I was in 6th grade, but it was the simple fact that it was time to try something new. It's somewhere I can find a potential career. 

In the future I want to go to Spelman and major in Chemistry and Biochemistry to be a Nurse. Right now I'm not sure what I want to do with my career. So I won't be surprised if it changes later on.

Meet Devonte

Wassup Homies... I'm an "I-phone" user ahaa. My name is Devonte, Urban teen from Chicago & currently a junior in high school!

Growing up with a lot of siblings & a single mom, I had to find my own identity, which I'm still learning about til this today. Opportunities and attention wasn't offered so I had to Take it! Being on my I-phone, which I love!!!, one day granted me my wish; a summer job in downtown Chicago. Gallery 37 is a place I've called home now for four seasons (summer, fall , winter & spring).

Being apart of Health Science Explorers has led to many friendships, job opportunities, and has opened me up to learning more new things  about my health and how science is all around us! Gallery 37 wasn't my first job experience although, by far its been my best!

I have interned for a local teen magazine known as "True-Star". Working with the editorial team I worked with a professional journalist. The instructor there taught me how to 1) capture my audience, 2) keep deadlines, and 3) build my writing portfolio. Working there for a year before Gallery put me in a position to work hard for my positions and don't be afraid to branch out!

Next year I'll be a senior in High School and I'll be looking forward to attending college to major in my dream career, running my mouth and becoming a broadcast journalist. Follow my blog posts to read more revealing information about my Health-Science experiences and much more!

So indecisive I can't even pick a title! A short biography about Celina

Hi everyone! My name is Celina and I am a very indecisive person. I am currently a junior at Whitney Young High School and I am already coming down with senioritis (you can't blame me, I went to this school as a 7th grader so I've been at this school for 5 years).  I always feel like there isn't enough time in a day for me to do everything I want. I watch a bunch of TV shows, I listen to a lot of music (my favorite band is Linkin Park), and I have a long list of books I want to read (100+) and it's hard to do all those things while also keeping up with school, attending extracurricular activities, and having a personal life but I try my best. I love organization but I'm very forgetful so I love to make lists. I have lists of shows I watch, artists I listen to plus that long list of books. I would feel incomplete without my lists. Some of my friends think that I'm a little OCD, and that is probably true. This is the first time that I have been in the Health Science Explorers program. I was interested in this program because I actually aspire to be a forensic pathologist in the future. Most people look at me weird when I tell them what I want to be when I'm older, but I'm really interested in this field. I'm really enjoying the days I spend in this program and I looking forward to each meeting. (:

By the way, I am also in the school drama club and I am the co-chief of the art crew since the fall of 2012 (we're in charge of the art for the play and we paint the set and we make the stage come alive using color!). You should definitely come check out my current school play, "Noises Off" which opens March 28, 2014 at 7:00 pm. It's a comedy!

Bonjour, Je m'appelle Tim, et j'aime beaccoup des choses et musiques

Hi, My name is Timothy, and I am currently a junior at Northside College Preparatory High School. I am just naturally a conflicted person, especially when it comes to anything that I enjoy. For this blog in particular, I enjoy talking about and studying anything having to do with biology, biochemistry, and anatomy. However, as a person, I really enjoy music: It is my primary passion. When it comes to listening to music, there is hardly anything that I don't enjoy; even if I won't admit it on the outside. Except boy bands, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Rebecca Black: they are just terrible, seriously. I do, however, enjoy performing music as well. This mainly consists of vocals, but I also play the guitar (albeit not nearly as well as I sing). For this blog, I am only supposed to discuss health science, so I'll discuss how I became interested in the field. This year, my Junior year, I am taking biology. I've noticed that I'm actually pretty decent in the subject and that my biology class isn't necessarily my most boring class. I really enjoyed learning microbiology and how it played its role in the maintaining and function process of the animal body , and wanted to learn more about the function of the body. So, I decided to join this program to see if I could supplement my school's biology class (plus I get paid). I'm looking forward to this blog, and hope everyone else is to :)

Poem: Second Hand Smoke Kills

by Lorren

Second Hand Smoke Kills!! 

Cough!, Cough! 

All I see is smoke around 

Same thing happening everyday 

Each day the pain increases 

I can feel it,

I can tell it!

that this smoke is killing me 

Why me out of all people?

I'm not smoking they are 

I guess that's just how life is. 

Second hand smoke is just not right for kids 

Imagine that you are a nine-year old child 

That got lung cancer from second hand smoke 

This just hurts me 

Not just me, but others too

Before you pick up another cigarette 

Just stop and think

Is this worth hurting ones life? 

This is what worries me!  

“Healthy living starts with healthy choices. We know that carcinogens from second-hand smoke can cause cancer. We know that cancer kills. Let’s make the healthy choice . . . let’s work for (and in) a smoke-free environment.”

                                                   Fin Donnelly, athlete and Fraser River marathon swimmer

  I chose to write my poem about second hand smoke and how it effects children because I believe it is a huge problem. Second hand smoke can effect a child's future when it wasn't even their fault of getting this disease. "Approximately 26 percent of adults in the United States currently smoke cigarettes, and 50 to 60 percent of children under five live in homes with at least one adult smoker. The exposure of smoke decreases lung efficiency and impairs lung function in children of all ages. It increases both the frequency and severity of childhood asthma. It also increases both the number of ear infections a child will experience, and the duration of the illness." (American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery). For more information on second hand smoke please visit the website on Second hand smoke, Center for Disease Control, second hand smoke effects on children. 

The Silent Killer

by Jayla        

          Outcast. Contagious. Unworthy. These are feelings that people with H.I.V experience. Human Immunodeficiency Virus attacks the immune system which makes the body more vulnerable to contract other serious diseases that can kill a person.  Others who don't have the disease feel as if they can get it from any kind of contact with a person who has contracted the disease. They don't think about the feelings of the people who have H.I.V and do things like avoiding them and not touching them without really knowing the symptoms, treatments, and prevention of keeping H.I.V from spreading. Many times the people who give H.I.V to others either don't know they have it or won't tell their partner. Not considering the health of the people in their lives. If you don't follow the prevention tips you are more vulnerable to getting H.I.V. 
         
           When I think of H.I.V now opposing to back in the day, it's much more manageable today and fewer people are dying from it, well that is if you can afford the medicine and treatments that help keep it under control. On average 2.3 million people in the world have H.I.V and until the Health Care Act was made by President Barack Obama many people in America could not afford the things needed to contain the disease. Lessening your chances of contracting it is more effective than being unaware. In the African American community it is said that this ethnic group is most affected by H.I.V, specifically black men which is very surprising. 

Some children are born with H.I.V., will people treat them the same? Even though they had nothing to do with contracting the disease? Being cautious is one thing but being ignorant is another. Although many people contract this disease from having unprotected sex and saying this will never happen to them, it isn't accurate. Contracting H.I.V can happen to anyone, attacking the immune system and slowly killing a person without them knowing. But in today's world; many medicines and treatments that are available can help a person control how it affects their body. That's a good thing right ? As a teen I am more susceptible to being carefree about the things I do, but really it does not make sense for people to continue getting the disease if so much information is provided. Everyone should be more aware of H.I.V to change the way people perceive it as contagious and to lower their own risks of contracting the disease. Be safe!

         Sources:

"HIV/AIDS Fact Sheets " http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/education-materials/fact-sheets/20/48/the-basics-of-hiv-prevention Last Updated : April 4th, 2014

"Overview of HIV Treatments" http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/just-diagnosed-with-hiv-aids/treatment-options/overview-of-hiv-treatments/   Last Updated: 08/07/2009


"Global Aids Overview" http://aids.gov/federal-resources/around-the-world/global-aids-overview/   Last Updated: 12/18/2013

CDC "HIV Among African Americans" http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/racialethnic/aa/facts/index.html  Last Updated: February 6th, 2014

Change

by Michael

Let me go outside and see another pothole on the street. 

Another bum looking for a place to sleep. 

Maybe another national food drive is one of our lesser needs. 

You can think of our neighborhoods as lepers and the government is the bacteria that is making our community fall apart.

Boxes full with memories

Torn down

 turned to dust. 

History!

No convenience in grocery stores but a convient store on every corner.

I mean why should we allow children to eat a bag of hot flamins for breakfast. 

Sad a definite maybe, and they go to school where the pages of the books are faded and outdated. Fed lies not knowing how to tell time. Not ready to realize that it's time for a critical change. 

Change 

The definition of the better edification of our hearts and minds.

Change

A mutation of something ugly to something divine

Change

And once it's all said and done our communities are still calling for change.

Walk a Mile in Their Shoes

by Michael
   

         Now you see me, now you don’t. Most people understand the more general things about being blind, yet they are “blind” to serious causes of becoming blind. Being blind changes the lives of many people around the world and can be easily developed at any age. There are approximately 285 million people around the world that are blind: 39 million are blind and 246 million people have impaired vision. 82 percent of people that are blind are above the age of 50, which is about 20 percent of the world's population. Blindness can come in any shape or form like cataracts and glaucoma. 

            Cataracts is a serious eye infection that should be properly taken care of before it becomes too serious to treat. Developing in either one or both eyes, cataracts is one of the leading causes of blindness around the world. It can develop from ultraviolet light, radiation, injury to the eye, and exposure to a toxic substance. There are two types of cataracts one develops when you are young and the other develops wen you are elderly. 51 percent of blindness in the Eastern Mediterranean Region is caused by cataracts and  98 to 100 percent of the time it can be treated. The side effects of cataracts makes it hard to see in the sun light. 

          Glaucoma is another eye infection that causes blindness. It is very serious when it is left untreated. Glaucoma is in fact another one the leading cause of blindness. Secondly glaucoma can cause tumors, advanced cataracts and inflammation. There are three different types of treatment if your drugs don’t work. This eye infection is developed when there is too much fluid building up in the eye and damages the optic nerve. Any blockage in the drainage system of the eye (trabecular meshwork) creates a similar problem, but the fluid has nowhere to overflow. Rather, the fluid pressure increases and damages one of the most sensitive and important parts of the eye.

 These are two very important things to talk about because people don't understand how important it is take care of your body. Glaucoma comes from diabetes therefore people with diabetes should go and get their eyes checked yearly. Glaucoma can be treated with three different types of surgery in which you get done if drugs don't work. Cataracts can be prevented by giving up smoking. There are also three different surgeries that can be done to cure Cataracts: Phacoemulsification, Extracapsular cataract surgery, and Intracapsular surgery. This lets us know that we should take out time to care our bodies because it affects us in every aspect cause by our health.

            In conclusion, blindness is not only being incapable to see it’s a lot more than that. Blindness can be drawn to your body in so many ways, people need to know more about their bodies and how to properly take care of it. People should also understand that living an unhealthy lifestyle does not only effect your weight but every part of your body. People should go see a eye doctor yearly and not just elderly people. Glaucoma is irreversible and cataracts can get so bad glasses won’t even help.

Cancer

by Jailyn

Cancer, Every time I hear about some serious disease it's always Cancer! 

Prostate, breast, cervical, or even colon cancer.

Why is cancer such a killer, I just want it to go away and let everyone have one less thing to worry about in the world.

Cancer, since the day I first met you,

You didn't give me a pleasant first impression. 

I just saw EVIL in your eyes

Why do you mess with people's happy thoughts 

and replace them with bad ones

Like you can't stop, 

I'm going to die

Can my body handle this ?

I'm too young

I'm not ready 

I have so much stuff to do before I leave God's beloved earth

There's nothing else to make a bucket before my hour glass runs out

Cancer,

Why can't you just be part of the other 11 zodiac signs

Cancer why....

OCD or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

by Jailyn

OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) is a condition in which people cannot stop doing something, such as turning on and off the same light switch several times in a row or checking to make sure the water is off repeatedly. Many people have OCD in some form or another and do not even realize it. About 2% of Americans are diagnosed with OCD every year. OCD can give you the feeling of continually disappointing and aggravating others because of what your condition but you cannot do anything about it. This is what is interesting about OCD, people who may like things to be very clean may have OCD and not even know it. People with this disorder may also suffer from low self-esteem or from shame and embarrassment about what they are thinking or feeling. OCD is nothing compared to having daily routines at home, it is more extreme such as blinking three times before getting out of the bed in the morning or brushing your teeth 50 times on every single tooth.

Recognizing OCD is often difficult because children can adapt to hiding the behaviors. It is not uncommon for a child to engage in strange behavior for months, or even years, before parents know about it. A child may not participate in school activities and parents might think it is just a phase. When a child with OCD tries to contain these thoughts or behaviors, which creates anxiety. OCD obsessive thoughts are repeated, persistent and unwanted urges or images that cause distress or anxiety. Children who feel embarrassed or as if they're "going crazy" may try to blend their actions into a normal daily routine until they are unable to control it anymore.  You might try to get rid of these anxities by performing a compulsion or ritual. These obsessions typically intrude when you are trying to think of or do other things. 

Imagine opening up a book to begin reading it. Chapter one… you read a paragraph. Then you reread it. Then you move to the second paragraph, but you realize that you may not have read the first paragraph well enough. So you go back and read paragraph one again. Then you read and reread paragraph two several times. You finally make it to the end of the page and in turning the page you think, "I've read page one adequately." But you can’t be sure. Did you understand everything you read? Will you remember it later on? So you reread page one again and again. After an hour of being on page one, you get tired and decide to put down the book. You’ll get through the book someday. It’s only the third time you've tried to read chapter one.

Howie Mandel is a well-known celebrity that battles OCD. If you would like more information about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, please visit the National Institute of Mental Health.

BOOM! There goes lung cancer

Ohh Nooo! Lung Cancer 

   Did you know about  228,190 people died of lung cancer in the year of 2013? According to the Oxford Dictionary, "Cancer is caused by an uncontrolled division of the body" (A malignant growth or tumor resulting from the division of abnormal cells). The most common cancer excluding skin cancer is lung cancer. It was estimated that in 2010 there would be 220,000 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed in the united states. 

   The most common cause of cancer deaths is lung cancer. It was estimated that in 2010 there would be about 157,300 deaths from lung cancer. This is greater than the number of deaths from breast cancer (41,230), prostate cancer (32,050), and colon & rectal cancers (51,370) combined. While many people dismiss lung cancer as a smoker's disease , it is important to note that 10-20% of people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked, and the majority of people diagnosed with lung cancer at this time are former (not current) smokers. Lung cancer is cancer that starts in the lungs. The lungs are located in the chest. When you breathe, air goes through your nose, down your trachea (wind-pipe), and into the lungs, where it spreads through tubes called bronchi. Most lung cancer begins in the cells that line these tubes. There are usually no symptoms or warning signs in the early stages. The more you smoke, the more likely you are to get lung cancer.  

     First or second hand smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipe & exposure to asbestos (a type of mineral) or radon (radio active gas) can cause damage to the cells in the lungs, leading to lung cancer. Smoking, second hand smoking, chewing tobacco, being exposed to coal dust & certain air pollution arre factors that can increase the chance of getting lung cancer. 

If you have any of these symptoms do not assume it is due to lung cancer. These symptoms may be caused by other conditions. *Symptoms: a cough that doesn't go away and worsens over time, constant chest pain, coughing up blood, shortness of breathe, wheezing, or hoarseness, repeating problems with pneumonia or bronchitis, swelling of neck or face, loss of appetite, weight loss, or fatigue. The doctor will ask you about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. The doctor will also ask questions about smoking history, exposure to environmental and occupational substances, and family history of cancer. Test may include Chest x-ray, sputum cytology, Spiral CT, Biopsy, Bronchoscopy, Needle aspiration, Thoracentesis, and Thoracotomy. 

Once lung cancer is found, staging tests are done to find out if the cancer has spread. Surgery involves removing the tumor and nearby tissue. Lymph nodes may also need to be removed. Radiation therapy is the use of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. This may also be used to relieve symptoms, such as shortness of breath. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. This may be given in many forms, including pill injection, and via a catheter. Chemotherapy is often used to kill lung cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body. 

To reduce your risk of getting lung cancer do not start smoking, if you smoke try your best to quit. Avoid places where people are smoking. Test your home for radon gases and asbestos. Have these substances removed if they are in the home. Do not work in a place with asbestos.

Please read Cynthia B's story about her fight with lung cancer.   Cynthia B.'s Story:

Stingray, and Dolphins, and Sharks, OH MY!

February 8, 2014 our team had the great privilege to attend an event at the Shedd Aquarium in the Chicago Loop. This trip wasn't the usual field trip around the aquarium, this time we had a chance to learn all about pursuing a career in working with animals from Shedd Aquarium's Ken Ramirez, Executive Vice President of Animal Care and Animal Training. Ken told us how he first started volunteering with dogs when he was in high school and how that led to a career of working with the animals at the Shedd Aquarium. After his presentation, we were invited into the Teen Learning Lab to meet one-on-one with Ken. One thing I really enjoyed about listening to his presentation was the opportunity to learn how I could pursue this as a career and even what classes I should think about while in college.

While in the Teen Learning Lab, we were able to meet some of the teens from the Shedd Aquarium's after school program.  The lab is located in the lower level of the aquarium in the Education Center. It has a lot of great resources such as Mac Book Pros, smart boards, and podcasting equipment. Most importantly it's a great a place for teens to come hang-out and meet mentors, receive assistance on science projects, and meet other teens from around the city. 

Ken Ramirez of the Shedd Aquarium
Photo courtesy of The Shedd Aquarium

Confusion

                                                                                                                                    By : Jayla
                                                                       THINK!


      There are so many things I have read
                                       So in my head, having sex is DEAD
                                                                    With all of the information, I don't understand why the                      nation stills decides to have sex without protection
                                                    So in my head, having sex is DEAD

     All of the statistics makes me SCARED of contracting a STD,
                                                                      not knowing and ending up DEAD
                                                 So in my head, having sex is DEAD

The outcome of unprotected sex could be beautiful,
                                                               being able to create a new individual
                 But in reality it's not reasonable to put yourself at risk,
                                                                      of contracting a disease
                              That can leave you DECEASE.
                                                 So in my head, having sex is DEAD

                Use protection, it's only a piece of rubber
                                                         STOP being so stubborn
                                        it's an easy task.
                                                        But if you don't you will end up in flabbergast.
                                            So in my head, having sex is DEAD.

Health Science Explorers Take on Northwestern Unniversity

Major Trip in our program on Wednesday, March 26th, 2014. We had the privilege to partake in a college tour sponsored by Northwestern on the Magnificent Mile. We visited the 

Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences Northwestern University Feinberg Medical School.

This event was led by actual professors from Northwestern's Physical Therapy (PT) program and several current graduate students! Chandi Edmonds and Tobey DeMott Yates are both teachers in the PT program. They started our visit by asking us how our day was and then describing about history of the program. We were able to hear from two graduate students about the types of classes they were taking and what the day-to-day looks like as a student in the program. We collectively asked and even answered from our hosts and created a new bond with them that day.

Purple is one of the university's colors so our new friends loved our purple After School Matter shirts. After our Meet & Greet, we watched a news piece via ABC about an older man who had been told he was paralyzed but was determined to complete a race up the Willis Tower's staircase. The video taught us that we can improve our bodies through physical therapy and that it can help recapture one's life. 

This field trip was different from other one. We usually are taking notes and asking questions or just listening to speakers. However, we were the only group participating in this program, which was a bonus, and the instructors took us around their campus. We visited the Accelerated Rehabilitation Center and watched as physical therapists worked with actual patients. We saw what it would be like if you were hurt and how the therapists would work with you. After our tour, we participated in an activity where we had to jump off a stoop and then jumped up trying to touch the ceiling. The activity was recorded on a camera and we watched the video in slow motion to see how our body moved. This is an actual activity a Physical Therapist would use because it can tell the doctor where a patient went wrong. 

We concluded our trip with some final questions and even a demonstration of how a physical therapist would check a patient's leg who was experiencing pain. Northwestern offered our team a great lunch and a brighter understanding about physical therapy & therapist clinics. It was an amazing experience!

  

The World THEY Live In By Donesha

by Donesha

Reality is at its peak.

In a world full of hallucinations and delusions.

 So many opinions, cant help but make conclusions.

From them they'd tell you,

 "You would be blind to believe this world is so kind!"

I know sometimes they wish they were dead,

I would cringe to even have a thought like this in my head.

Its sad.

Nothing in the world should ever make someone stoop to that level.

A illness in the head, one shoulder there's an angel and the other sits a devil.

Is it real or not?

Hearing voices and it can't stop,

Scratching and scraping at your personal thoughts,

Hard to believe, it's like a Gordian Knot.

One voice is louder than the other,

One action is boulder then the last one,

One step is smaller than the last few,

One mistake becomes more worse than the last two.

No one to believe or love,

Mostly because everyone is unworthy of your trust.

When is a door not a door?

When is the mind not ajar?

Open,

I mean ajar means open.

Thoughts flowing freely but locked within someone unspoken.
 Its hard for a family member to deal with someone schizophrenic,
 Cant really help to be overwhelming sympathatic.
Encourage, support, be there through thick and thin.
Basically what Im saying is provide the whole ten.
No one deserves to suffer from such a disease,
So don't doubt yourself, you never know you could be theyre only need.