by Melissa Brisco
Staff writer

                At the beginning of the school year, Jodie Dienhammer’s anatomy classes took a different approach to learning about skin cancer awareness, a hands on method that would not only teach the students, but also raise awareness of the disease to the CHS community.

                Deinhammer’s anatomy classes did a service learning project where they educated themselves about skin cancer, and how it is contracted and ways the disease can be prevented. After learning about the disease, the class then had to find a way to raise awareness of the disease in the community. Various ways that the students were able to inform readers of the disease was through: posters, flyers, T-shirts and ads for the newspaper.

                The second phase of the anatomy service learning project is to actually put the products that the students designed into the community. The posters were hung around the school, the ad was placed in the October issue of The Sidekick and the T-shirts went on sale to students in Deinhammer’s classes.

                “We didn’t push the selling of the shirts too much,” Deinhammer said. “Students in my classes bought them and the students in my anatomy classes sold some.”

                There were two different shirt designs. The first was designed by senior Rachel Cummins and said “Feel the burn? That’s called skin cancer.”

                “My [project] partner and I wanted to do something that would appeal to teens and that would be something that they wouldn’t ignore,” Cummins said. “My partner and I found the quote online and thought it was hilarious and it would make students think.”

                The second shirt was designed by senior Tori Galea and said: “Healthy skin, healthy life, healthy people, healthy world – The Bradley O’Martin Melanoma Foundation.

                “I made up the saying and pattern on my own,” Galea said. “I doodle a lot so that’s what my design was based on.”

                The majority of the shirts sold, but if anyone is interested, there might still be a few left. To check, go by Deinhammer’s room in E 206. There was a total of 60 shirts made and they sold for $10 each. The proceeds from the sales will go to the Bradley O’ Martin Melanoma Foundation.

                Students in Deinhammer’s anatomy classes enjoyed the project and how it was more than just looking up information in a text book.

                “This project was especially interesting because it was a hands on project and we were able to get our ideas and designs out into the community and help raise awareness about a cause that needs more attention,” senior Alaina Wolf said.

                Other students in the class agree.

                “I really enjoyed the project and it was nice to be able to use my talents to help raise awareness about the cause of skin cancer,” Galea said.

                Deinhammer’s classes have already begun working on their next service learning project, raising awareness of diabetes. Students have to come up with a campaign of how to promote Diabetes awareness in the high school.  Anatomy classes along with Health Science classes are trying to come up with a program that would raise awareness about diabetes, similar to the ‘Hoops for Heart’ program.