Promoting Healthy Youth

Using Haiku Poetry and Creative Expression


Press Release

            For Immediate Release                                                 Contact: Y.E.S. 4 Health, Inc.

            April 27, 2010                                                                  (404) 702-4382

                                                              

Youth Educational Services (Y.E.S.) 4 Health, Inc Announces the Release of:

Healthy Haiku Poetry: Using Creative Expression

To Transform Youth

 

Y.E.S. 4 Health, Inc has published and released the second book in the Healthy Haiku Series created by Dr. Imani Ma’at.  The book, Healthy Haiku Poetry: Using Creative Expression To Transform Youth can be used as a companion to the first book: Promoting Healthy Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors among Youth Using Haiku and Creative Expression: A Training Manual for Mentors (2008), or as a stand alone reader in the Healthy Haiku Series.  The Training Manual provides mentors with a step-by-step curriculum guide for holding Healthy Haiku Workshops and is used to instruct during the workshops. 

 

The new release provides all of the information in the first book however it is tailored for teachers, families and children from ages 12 and above and does not include training focus and references.  The book and workshop cover information on important health issues such as: delaying sex, HIV/AIDs, smoking, drinking, drug use, violence, self-esteem and obesity through the use of Haiku and other poetry written about these issue.

 

Haiku is a poetic form that originated in Japan in the seventeenth century.  It uses 17 syllables on three lines usually configured as 5-7-5 for telling a story concisely and with few words.  During the workshops, participants have an opportunity to learn about health issues and create their own poetry. Dr. Ma’at is a trained behavioral Scientist with over 21 years of public health experience with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and holds degrees from Mt. Holyoke College, M.I.T., Harvard, and Columbia Universities.  Young Peer Educators assist Dr. Ma’at in holding these powerful workshops.