K21 Foundation Grant Purchases Baby Simulators For TVHS
Posted
Staff Report-
AKRON - Students at Tippecanoe Valley High School are now able to experience the challenges of taking care of a baby.
Because of a generous grant from the K21 Foundation, Tippecanoe Valley High School has purchased 15 advanced RealCare Baby II-plus simulators.
The babies must be fed, rocked, burped and have their diapers changed around the clock, just like a real infant. The baby cries when it needs care and will continue to cry louder until its needs are met. The baby makes feeding noises, breathes, coughs, burps and even coos to provide positive reinforcement when it's being taken care of correctly. An internal logging system keeps track of how well the infant is cared for. This data can then be accessed by the classroom teacher to help the student improve the level of care.
Students quickly discover that taking care of a baby is hard work and may help a student realize that they are not ready to be a parent.Hopefully, this will translate to a reduction in risky behaviors and a decrease in teen pregnancies.
