Student Youth Ambassador graduates prepare for careers in public health
Twenty-two graduates from Justice High School and 25 from Mount Vernon High School got a jump start toward a career in public health.
They were celebrated at a ceremony June 10 where they were given certificates for completing the Fairfax County Health Department’s Public Health Youth Ambassador Program.
“The Youth Ambassador program addresses a number of critical needs in public health,” says Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, director of the Fairfax County Department of Health. It builds community trust, advances health literacy and equity in communities of color, and produces a corps of community health workers.
The 161-hour program, which includes 70 hours of field experience, uses a curriculum from the Atlanta-based Morehouse College of Medicine. It is conducted by the Department of Health in partnership with Edu-Futuro and Stronger2.
At the graduation ceremony at Mount Vernon High School, the Youth Ambassadors received a $500 scholarship, a certificate from Morehouse they can use on college applications and resumes, and a laptop.
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The event, attended by students’ families, featured entertainment and displays of students’ research projects.
Justice senior Duaa Eldirdiri carried out a project on raising awareness about polycystic kidney disease, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Other students’ projects were on such issues as teen motherhood resources, obesity prevention, hypertension, and disability visibility.
“With the training you have received,” Addo-Ayensu told the students, “you are now equipped with the skills to advance health literacy in your community and serve as trusted sources of public health information.”
Anthony Mingo, director of the Community Health Development Division at the Health Department, said future plans for the Youth Ambassador program include a mentorship component with health professionals and apprenticeships.
“Education is the key to success and the key to achieving your dreams. We are so very proud of how far you’ve come and that you are taking advantage of this opportunity,” Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill told the Youth Ambassadors in the keynote commencement address. “Come back and be a positive and productive force for others.”