“Fun,” “awesome” and “cool” may not be the first words you think of when you hear “public health,” but these are the sentiments shared by local school children following a visit to the 推荐杏吧原创, School of Public Health as a part of the School's Physical Activity and Health Collaborative Initiative.
“Public Health is about community impact,” said Dean Muge Akpinar-Elci, M.D., MPH. “These opportunities to engage are a prime example of our work and also a chance to inspire the next generation. The curiosity of these children and their enthusiasm for learning is also exciting for the future of public health.”
A recent field trip brought young visitors to campus where they were welcomed to the School of Public Health by Akpinar-Elci who introduced them to the many ways public health touches their lives. They encountered a zombie, visited the concussion lab and even learned about the spread of germs before hitting the training field.
Following their visit, Akpinar-Elci received hand-written notes with illustrations from the children sharing their excitement and appreciation for the visit, with many sharing they had been inspired by the new things they had learned.
In the state of Nevada, there is no requirement for physical education or health classes at the elementary level. The goal of the Physical Activity and Health Collaborative Initiative is to promote physical activity and health. Students from the School of Public Health partnered with the community and local schools to provide physical activity and health learning opportunities, including weekly physical education classes, health classes, "Bring Your Parent to P.E. Days," field day, sports days, field trips to the University campus and professional development opportunities for classroom teachers.
“For some children, our program provides their first exposure to these kinds of activities,” said Assistant Professor Angela Heinemann, Ph.D., who leads the Physical Activity and Health Collaborative Initiative. “These early interventions have the potential to have a significant impact on their health and the trajectory of their lives.”
Want to get involved and further community impact through programs, like the Physical Activity and Health Collaborative?
