For Riddle, one of the most important things she has taken back to the classroom is an ability to evaluate a student's reading level. All of the students that began the program three years ago finished the program on Friday, which is quite a feat considering most of the teachers were working full-time. But overall, we enjoyed it. A main goal of the program is to equip youths who baby sit with skills enough to handle infants up to school-age children in areas such as first aid and accident management, handling emergencies, temper tantrums, rescue breathing, and much more. The students will be thrust into scenarios with a guest infant and mom as well as a toddler and mother so they can learn hands-on, explained Kay Crane, the Danville Regional site coordinator for the program.
Crane is also communications coordinator at the hospital.
In addition, the youths will learn how to screen prospective employers and how to signal their parents if they need a ride home from baby sitting. Work stations will be set up to demonstrate different components of the program. Safe Sitter is a 13-hour curriculum that will be offered over two days. Students will be exposed to an essay, written test, and will be required to do first aid and CPR on mannequins. Twelve students will be allowed in a class with two teachers.