St. Joseph High School's science and food preparation teacher also sponsors the student Family, Career and Community Leaders of America organization. (FCCLA) This year, Ms. Jackie Elsinger plans to give group members the chance to learn about the responsibilities associated with child care through the help of an infant simulator.
Infant simulators are life-like electronic dolls programmed to simulate the needs of a real baby. This includes feeding, changing, and attention times.
It's been several years since St. Joseph students have had such a device. High School Counselor Karen Davis taught religion at our school in 1998 and had implemented a marriage project. She didn't have simulators to start with but the seniors began carrying around packages of flour with them all day to get a sense of what it might be like to look after a child. A grant she later wrote made it possible to acquire a few simulators for a couple of years. They were eventually turned over to a county-wide program known as "Choosing to Excel" which oversaw their use with 9th graders. When that program ended, so did St. Joseph's access to simulators.
Journalism teacher and Interact Club sponsor Ray Nielsen recently discussed this void with Ms. Elsinger. He found a company called Realityworks that sells them and they decided to pool their club's financial resources to purchase one. "I am thrilled to have this opportunity to teach students about the sacrifices parents make for their children," Ms. Elsinger said. "Babies are truly blessings from God, and it is an honor to be bestowed with the titles of Mother and Father."
Ms Elsinger is seen here babysitting with her newest grandchild, Matthias Elsinger, and the infant simulator. Matthias is the son of Jeremy and Audrey Elsinger.