The WSU HD 415 class learns about leadership skills and theories, and applies them to real-world efforts, partnering with different organizations in the palouse community.
Here is a recap of the projects the students worked on this year from their Clinical Assistant Professor Anna Whitehall:
One group worked with the Disability Action Center NW to create a resource fair at the 1912 Center in Moscow, Idaho, bringing together 16 community organizations. They got an overwhelmingly positive response from the community organizations to the point that many of them asked to be invited again next year to this annual event.
Another group worked with Regency Pullman to “Adopt-a-Resident” through their assisted living program where students each partnered with one resident for the semester and also put on a “Senior Prom”. The students built lasting relationship with their residents through the Adopt-a-Resident program. For the prom, they had great attendance, got raffle prizes for the residents and even got some residents to dance who hadn’t danced in years. The students expressed that they “created a family” through this experience.
The last group worked with Latah Alliance for Mental Illness (LAMI House) in Moscow, Idaho to create programs for the residents to engage in around the self-care topics topics of exercise, nutrition and meaningful activity. They did this by visiting the house on several different occasions and doing different activities with the residents such as going for a walk, making granola and painting bird houses.
