Making the World a Better Place - Touro College

“Not only does BOTO offer solid information, but the
TouroCOM volunteers are also aiming for a ripple effect, where
a wellness idea takes root for a participant, who then shares
what she’s learned with her family and community.”
Be One, Teach One
participants attending a
seminar on healthy eating
habits.
parents. Barbara Capozzi, DO, clinical
systems director at TouroCOM and the
faculty advisor to BOTO, says, “How
overwhelmingly powerful it is to be with the
girls in the room when the monthly meetings
take place—the environment is respectful,
supportive, safe and fun.”
The president of Touro’s AMWA chapter,
Samantha Mucha, who is in her second year
of TouroCOM’s Doctor of Osteopathic
Medicine program, credits the program’s
success with the fact that the girls feel a
certain ownership over the activities. At the
start of every school year, for example, the
high school students are asked for their input
about what kind of information would really
improve their lives. “Their participation is key,
and so they really want to be there,” Mucha
says.
With BOTO, service happens quickly, and
in lighthearted ways. On the day of the
nutrition workshop, in the span of a few
hours, many of the high school students had
a change of heart about the pumpkin puree.
Mucha recalls hearing more than once,
“Actually, this is pretty good.”
This year, in addition to nutrition, the
BOTO program includes monthly meetings
on cultivating beauty from the inside out; first
aid and safety tips for traveling and camping;
basic anatomy information; and fitness
routines. For each program, BOTO
volunteers collaborate with others within
TouroCOM to tap expertise for the programs.
For the nutrition segment, Dr. Capozzi gave
a lecture on proper eating and the food
groups. Student volunteers from TouroCOM’s
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Club
contributed to the exercise program.
Not only does BOTO offer solid
information, but the TouroCOM volunteers
are also aiming for a ripple effect, where a
wellness idea takes root for a participant, who
then shares what she’s learned with her
family and community.
The camaraderie that develops in the
meetings has spilled over into informal
mentoring, too. Recently, a high school
student approached Mucha for advice on
going to medical school. Mucha spoke with
her about everything from preparing for the
SATs to possible undergraduate programs.
Dr. Capozzi says of the TouroCOM
volunteers, “These students demonstrate a
strong commitment to community service and
to serving the underserved.”
As Dr. Dunbar puts it, “I hope that in the
Harlem community, Be One, Teach One will
represent a place where, to paraphrase
[author] Stephen Covey, mentors will
‘communicate to the girls their worth and
potential so clearly that they are inspired to
see it in themselves.’” n
22 TOURO LINKS I SPRING 2013