Empower Future Generations: State Education Department Launches Engaging Organ Donation Curriculum

In Nevada, teachers and students will soon engage with a new curriculum focused on organ, eye, and tissue donation. This initiative comes from a partnership between the Nevada Donor Network and the Nevada Department of Education.

The program will utilize Canvas, an online learning platform, to educate middle and high school students about registering as organ donors. Kimberly Flores, a liaison for the Nevada Donor Network, explains that their grassroots campaign includes informative presentations. Since visiting every school isn’t possible, they aim to provide a comprehensive curriculum that teachers can easily implement.

State law mandates that organ and tissue donation be included in health education classes for students. With Canvas, educators can share up-to-date statistics, details on the donation process, and stories from local donors and recipients. Ultimately, students will have the chance to sign up as donors when they apply for their driver’s licenses at the DMV.

Teachers have flexibility in how they deliver this curriculum. They can use pamphlets, facilitate discussions, or create interactive games and homework assignments. This approach helps demystify the donation process and helps students understand how to register, as well as dispel common myths about organ donation.

Carrie McGill, a health and physical education teacher at Douglas High School for 27 years, has discussed organ donation in her classroom. She hopes this education leads to more students choosing to be donors when they go to the DMV. McGill notes that when she first asks her students if they want to be donors, only five out of her class of 30 usually raise their hands. However, after learning more about it, around 75% change their minds and choose to register.

Andrew Snyder, a health and physical education specialist at the Nevada Department of Education, stressed the importance of supporting teachers as they implement this new content. He acknowledged that it can take time for educators to integrate new lessons into their teaching schedule, especially with curriculum updates and new platforms.

Snyder also pointed out that health education is particularly relevant to students because it deals with real-life decisions they will face as they grow up. The curriculum is designed to inform and empower students, helping them understand the facts about organ and tissue donation without pushing any particular agenda.

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