The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Patient First partners with local schools to support healthy initiatives
In March 2022, Holland Elementary School in Bucks County installed a new set of adaptive physical education equipment to ensure that all students can participate fully in physical education activities, including children with autism and a variety of other special needs. The school achieved this with help from local urgent care practice Patient First.
This is part of a larger effort from Patient First in partnership with schools near each of its medical centers. After meeting with schools to identify needs within the school to help support the students and staff, Patient First provides donations to help fulfill the school’s needs.
“Urgent Care centers are known as convenient and cost-effective alternatives to emergency rooms for non-life-threatening medical conditions,” said George Yanoshik Jr., community relations manager at Patient First. “Our role is to help our patients and neighbors stay healthy. One way we do that is to provide urgent care and primary care at our medical centers. Another is to provide support to critical community institutions like our schools, youth sports programs, and free clinics.”
Holland Elementary has eight Council Rock School District special education classes. These classes have children from all over the district, and many have significant needs.
Before receiving the new gym equipment, Holland already had a rock wall in place for students to use, but the school wanted to do more to encourage a more inclusive level of student participation.
“Patient First was able to help,” Yanoshik said.
Holland Elementary Principal Joseph MacClay recently hosted a demonstration day and invited Patient First to show how the gift was put to good use. Part of the demonstration highlighted the school’s reverse inclusion model in which students are paired with special needs classmates to make new friendships and learn compassion, empathy, acceptance and appreciation for diversity.
“This school’s awareness and culture is a positive example to every school in Pennsylvania and beyond,” Yanoshik said. “It is rewarding to see how Patient First’s partnership was used in such an extraordinary way by the school. This incredibly dedicated principal and his team of professionals are creating teachable moments for their students every day by helping students learn the importance of embracing diversity and championing inclusion in an impactful way.”
Another successful Patient First partnership is with Arrowhead Elementary
School in Collegeville, Montgomery County. Staff at Arrowhead identified the need for an education program to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning experiences. That program, however, would require new recess equipment.
The necessary equipment included giant building blocks, noodles, chutes and connectors, allowing students to build and create new structures. These imaginative playgrounds would encourage students to think creatively and apply problem solving skills to assemble playful, usable structures.
“One of my favorite parts of our school partnership program is working with the schools to come up with creative, useful ways to utilize Patient First’s donation,” Yanoshik said. “We have helped schools out with things like library books, classroom technology, physical education equipment, supplies for the school clinic, and more.”
In previous years, Patient First donated a Buddy Bench to Hancock Elementary School in the Norristown
School District. The idea behind the bench is simple, but has high impact. If a child has been bullied or feels lonely, they can go to the bench as a signal that they need someone to play with or to talk with.
A Buddy Ambassador will see them on the bench and go talk with them and include them in their play time. This school’s designated Buddy Ambassadors are provided with ball caps highlighting their special role to wear on the playground.
“I will never forget the initial unveiling and presentation of the bench and the extraordinary efforts this school takes to ensure inclusion of all students while on the playground,” Yanoshik said.
Patient First partners with over 100 schools across the Mid-Atlantic region each year.
“We are proud to support the students and staff working to provide healthy and educational learning experiences,” said Taylor Robertson, Patient First’s director of community relations.
To learn more about Patient First’s community outreach efforts, visit their website, www.patientfirst. com/community/community-news
All Patient First medical centers are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays. Patient First was founded in 1981 and provides urgent and primary health care on a non-appointment basis in convenient locations. Each center offers on-site lab tests, X-rays and prescription drugs. For more information or to find a location near you, visit www. patientfirst.com.
“It is such a great concept to see peer-to-peer interaction when ambassadors befriend their fellow students on the playground and respond any time they see another student sitting on the bench.”