Hoosick Falls

by Deb Alter

When HFCS girls graduate at the end of this month and go out into the world, whether they are going to college, work, or the military, they’ll have a better idea how to deal with the new situations they will encounter, thanks to a program put on by the Physical Education (PE) Department.

The Senior Girls College Safety Awareness Seminar was presented to all twelfth grade girls on Monday, June 8. Due to its past success and positive feedback from HFCS Alumni, this was the seventh year of the program. The presentation included speakers, demonstrations, a guidebook, and pizza and salad for lunch.

Jackie and William Luciano, karate and self-defense experts, showed the girls some of the tactical, defensive moves they could use if someone were to attack. Nicole St. Onge, a 2013 Hoosick Falls High School graduate who had been through the HF safety program, was another presenter. She talked about and demonstrated a safety app for cell phones that most colleges have available for free. Once downloaded on to the phone, the app can automatically call for help in dangerous situations. Nicole is an RA (Residential Assistant) at SUNY New Paltz, where she attends college. She said RAs are an excellent resource, and that students should not hesitate to reach out to them about any issue that may arise.

Other parts of the presentation included how to say “no” and how to recognize and stay out of situations that could lead to trouble. “The main thing they need to know,” said Lisa Ferrannini, one of the PE teachers, “is that if a situation doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.” It isn’t always easy, but “the girls need to learn to make smart choices so that they don’t get into a bad situation in the first place,” added Colleen Corcoran, another PE teacher. A lot of safety problems can be avoided using common sense and intuition, like going out and coming home in groups, for example, and being cognizant of the surroundings. Remembering to use common sense is one of the keys to being safe. Other tips included walking confidently, keeping your keys in your hand, and making noise if necessary.

The seminar also explored issues such as general wellness, healthy eating habits, good study habits, and the “freshman ten” [pounds] that so many kids gain in their first year out of high school.

Every girl was given a copy of the book “The Naked Roommate and 107 Other Issues You Might Run into in College”, a New York Times bestseller by Harlan Cohen. The book gives valuable advice on student life, “from sharing a bathroom with 40 strangers to sharing lecture notes, and provides a preview of things freshmen will need to know about college (but never knew they needed to know).”

“The book is useful even if you are not going to college,” Ferrannini said, “every girl’s life is going to be different after high school. They will be living with roommates, working with colleagues at their jobs, on their own for the first time.”

Over the years, female HS graduates have come back to thank the school and the PE teachers for what they learned at the Safety Seminar. Many had stories about how they were able to stay out of and avoid problem situations. Some admitted that they should have paid more attention. Several had stories about students from other high schools that did “dumb” things that they didn’t do because of the program.

No other area schools have a program like this, according to Ferrannini. HFCS is committed to raising awareness about what life after high school will be like for the girls, and giving them some of the tools they will need to meet the challenges they will face.