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Babysitters In The Making

B

BYO Connect, a program for middle-school teens,
held a babysitting class in partnership with the
American Red Cross on Feb. 24 in the Teen Center
at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield.
Nineteen participants learned everything about babysit-
ting, including hands-on training for everyday situations
that could occur in a household while they are babysitting.
Using infant and child CPR mannequins, they were
taught rescue breathing methods, how to change diapers
and how to feed children. They also learned about play-
ing age-appropriate games, how to handle bedtime and
discipline issues, how to identify safety hazards around the
house and how to care for injuries and emergencies.
"I wanted to take the class so that I could babysit for
my little brother and sister;' said Adi Siegmann, 11, of
Bloomfield Hills. "I learned throughout the training how to
properly handle life-threatening situations. I'm glad I took
this course because I'm not only Red Cross-certified, but I
also can handle these situations better?'
Eric Adelman, BBYO-Michigan regional director, said,
"This class is one example of the diverse program offerings
sponsored by BBYO Connect. BBYO is proud to offer fun,
meaningful and affordable programs for Jewish middle
schoolers in Detroit?'
"I learned how to be a babysitter and what to do in
emergencies;' said Eden Gilan, 11, of West Bloomfield.
Maddy Cooper, 13, of Novi, said,"I liked the hands-on work
the best, working with the mannequins [for rescue breathing],
and I learned pretty much everything about babysitting?'
BBYO Connect has events coming up for Jewish students
in grades 6-8. For more information, contact Danny Bittker,
BBYO Connect program associate, at dbittker@bbyo.org or
(248) 432-5686. ❑

Jessica Fisher of West Bloomfield, Mikaela Rosen and Megan
Rosender, both of Farmington Hills, practice with a "baby."

Adi Siegmann of Bloomfield Hills gets in some
practice babysitting.

A Voice For Jewish Culture

S

BBYO Connect helps middle-schoolers learn to be
knowledgeable caregivers.

Jacob Goldberg and Hannah West, both of Farmington
Hills, work on bottle feeding

Sen. Carl evin helps kick off inor in Jewish Studies at EMU.

en. Carl Levin, D-Mich., was guest speaker at the official kickoff for
Eastern Michigan University's new minor in Jewish Studies on Feb. 23 at
the EMU Student Center Ballroom in Ypsilanti.
"I can't be more delighted that Sen. Levin joined us',' said Martin Shichtman, Jewish
Studies program director and professor of English. "The Jewish community has con-
tributed some truly extraordinary participants to Michigan life, such as Sen. Levin."
Shichtman says EMU is a school that celebrates diversity and that the Jewish
community of Southeastern Michigan has been a vital and significant piece of
our state's culture, economy and intellectual life.
The Jewish Studies program will celebrate and be a voice for Jewish culture in
Southeast Michigan, Shichtman said. Classes delving into the Jewish faith, culture
and thought will be taught by professors with expertise in literature, political sci-
ence, history, religion, philosophy, art, world languages and theater. The program
started in fall 2011.

❑

Ella Lipman of Farmington Hills and Michael
Lyons of Huntington Woods practice handling
the "baby" carefully.

Arthur Horwitz,

Detroit Jewish

News publisher/
executive editor,

with Clara Silver,
executive director
of Hillel at EMU,

Marty Shichtman,
director of EMU

Jewish Studies
program, and EMU
student Daniel

Morris of Ann
Arbor

Left: U.S. Sen. Carl Levin. Right: Sen. Levin with EMU students Beni Henig of Ann Arbor, Robin Cleary and Rachel Kaminsky, both of Chelsea, Matthew Norfleet of
Ypsilanti, Daniel Morris and Max Rashes, both of Ann Arbor, Shanilinin Calderon and Jeremy Carter, both of Detroit.

16

March 8 2012

