Last week, while walking around the halls, you may have noticed something different. The LHS seniors are taking a step into parenthood. The health class teachers, Mrs. Gorski and Ms. Bradley, assigned the seniors a project that teaches life lessons about pregnancy and the responsibilities of taking care of a baby.

The first part of the project requires students to carry around a stuffed animal with them at all times throughout the school day. If seen without the “baby,” points are taken off. The interesting part about this project is the game that Mrs. Gorski’s classes play within the project. Students are encouraged to steal babies from parents in order to gain points for themselves and take away points from the parents of the stolen baby. Students can also email their teachers pictures that contain evidence of  baby abuse. There have been reports of countless babies who were stolen.

For the other half of the project, students are given an electronic baby that simulates what real babies do, such as crying because they are hungry, burping after eating, or needing a change of diaper. The student stops the crying by entering a key that correlates with what the baby needs. However, it’s not as easy as it seems. The student takes care of the baby for a total of 24 hours. At night, the baby can cry up to five times, which requires the student to get up multiple times throughout the night and lose sleep. This furthers the idea of creating a real life situation when having a child.

All in all, this project is a great experience for seniors who are in the process of transitioning into adulthood. Many are attending college in the Fall and knowing all of the responsibilities of having a child encourage students to practice safe sex and take precautions. It’s great to know that the LHS health teachers are making sure their students have the necessary health information now for when they will need it in the future.

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