Updated 02/26/2005
The John
Locke Society |
Caduceus Club
Once again, members of the physician
faculty of the Caduceus Club, a project of the
John Locke Society, were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the young
people of Kansas City.
At the Hickman Mills School Board meeting on March 18th,
Dr. Everlyn Williams, principal of Warford Elementary, introduced Doctors Thomas Holder (left) and Thomas McGuire (right), outlined the
history of the Caduceus Club, and described the
science and health classes taught by the doctors to fifth grade students every other week
throughout the school year.
Doctors Holder and McGuire were thanked by the board for their
generous contributions to the students and were awarded a certificate from the school
board for being “Outstanding Volunteers.”
The Caduceus Club is in
its fifth year. A faculty of fourteen,
retired physicians visits seven area elementary schools every other week. They teach a curriculum written by the doctors
themselves that instructs the students in healthy lifestyles and good choices with lessons
on the body systems. The program currently
reaches almost four hundred students every year. They
have requests to expand into more elementary schools this fall and welcome interested
retired physicians to join this meaningful group. Please
call Carol Pashman, 913-488-5000, if you would like more information about this worthy
endeavor.
THE CADUCEUS CLUB
of the John Locke Society
Spring 2005 completes the sixth year of a very meaningful
program which began under the direction of Drs. Keith Ashcraft, Don Blim, and the late
Wallace McKee. The Caduceus Club, originally known as the Physician Mentoring
program, was designed to address the needs of disadvantaged youth in the inner city.
Through relationships with community organizations and the
diligent work of many members of the John Locke Society, a pilot program was established
whereby physician volunteers provided support to fourth and fifth grade students through
role modeling and mentoring, health and character education in the classroom, and resource
assistance to school administration and parent-teacher organizations. Their main objective
was that physicians and children develop meaningful relationships to encourage the
emotional growth and positive decision-making skills necessary to overcome economical and
social barriers to success in adulthood.
Today, the program is a prescribed curriculum designed and
written by the Curriculum Committee of the Caduceus Club. Every year each of
the almost four hundred students receive a book that is their study guide and a resource
to take home for his/her family. The books contain a summary of the sixteen lessons about
healthy living and the human body that are taught by physician volunteers every other week
in the schools.
Funding to produce and purchase the hand-out materials,
overheads, anatomical models, and teaching aids has been provided through the years in
grants from the Learning Exchange, the Kauffman Fund, Schering Plough and Bristol Meyers
Squibb. Children’s Mercy Hospital Medical Staff, and Saint Luke’s Medical Staff
have given generous gifts, as well.
In keeping with the mission of the Metropolitan Medical Health
Foundation, the children will become involved in the health sciences and learn to be
informed, effective managers of their own lifelong health. They will learn healthy
behaviors and healthy lifestyles that enable safer communities and strengthen family
relationships.
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Johnson and Wyandotte Counties
(C) Copyright, 2005 by The John Locke Society of Greater Kansas City. All
Rights Reserved.
Updated 02/26/2005