O24u : Environmental Education

O24u Environmental Education is an after-school program developed for children ages 8-14 years old.  It teaches children about the environment and its impacts on lung health, encouraging opportunities to demonstrate responsible actions.

The O24u program includes fun, hands-on-activities that empower children to make a change for clean air in their homes and communities, as well as address ways to mitigate the health effects of air pollution.  O24u, and all BREATHE LA programs, are provided free of charge to the children and the communities served.  Our signature O24u program is an after-school enrichment program for low-income children living in areas impacted by high levels of air pollution in Los Angeles County.  Children are engaged in environmental awareness with an emphasis on fun.

Currently community partners include WRAP Long Beach Unified School District Afterschool Program, the Boys & Girls Club of Long Beach, YMCA of Torrance, ICES Education and others.

The O24u curriculum consists of seven distinct modules:

1. Air Pollution and Environmental Changes
2. Health Effects of Air Pollution
3. Toxic Indoor Environments
4. Kids Can Make a Difference for Clean Air
5. Reduce, Recycle, Reuse
6. Alternate Renewable Fuels
7. Asthma and Air Pollution

Through interactive, hands-on classroom activities, these modules teach students to take action in order to help improve the environment.  Whether it is recycling, conserving energy, planting trees, or monitoring air quality, BREATHE LA O24u program activities help students develop responsible behaviors that can have a lifelong impact and contribute to pollution reduction.  Some of the things they will learn to do include:

• Making non-toxic cleaners for in-home use.
• Reducing their carbon footprint through various methods to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• Advocating for clean air by being active voices and participants in the community.
• Making terrariums and growing their own organic foods.

In addition to environmental education, O24u delivers comprehensive asthma education due to the significant link between increasing asthma rates and poor air quality.  The Asthma and Air Pollution Module serves to educate and empower children with and without asthma.  This module delivers interactive learning activities that will help kids:

• Learn about the respiratory system.
• Identify and control harmful irritants in the environment.
• Learn how to respond to an asthma emergency.
• Actively participate in O24u physical activities.

In partnership with the Port of Long Beach, BREATHE LA has initiated a special O24u Healthy Families project that adds parent workshops emphasizing warning signs of asthma and the role parents can play in providing a safe and healthy home environment.

The BREATHE LA O24u Environmental Education program is available for your school or community center today.  If you are interested in using the O24u curriculum in your school or community organization, please contact s today so we can help you get started!  You will receive:

• A seven module facilitator guide and student workbooks.
• Qualified health educators deliver train-the-trainer orientations for the curriculum.
• Ongoing support and materials provided by BREATHE LA.

O24u program goals are evaluated through pre and post testing.  Our measurable program objectives include:

• Increased Knowledge and Awareness
• Changes in Attitudes, Intentions, and Behaviors

Children who participate in O24u learn to:

• Identify actions harmful to the environment
• Identify specific harm that has occurred to their local environment and way in which such environmental harm can be reduced or reversed.
• Implement individual behaviors such as recycling soda cans and paper.
• Talk to family and friends about recycling or starting a recycling program at school.
• Raise awareness and advocate for clean air and a greener world.
• Recognize someone showing asthma symptoms or an asthma flare-up.
• Identify and control asthma triggers.

For more information, please contact BREATHE LA or call (323) 935-8050 ext. 248.