The Wayne State University Center for Health and Community Impact (CHCI) concluded its College and Career Readiness Experience programming focused on food systems and health issues with a public event Feb. 24, 2018. The event showcased the work of four Detroit high school student teams, who spent five months working in their community to identify and propose interventions to address a food-related health issue. Wayne State University community health faculty, staff and students guided the high school teams, who pitched their interventions to a panel of Detroit food system experts.
The event began with a keynote address on the importance of community health by Beaumont Health Program Manager of Community Health Obesity Prevention Caira Prince, Ph.D., MCHES. Then, WSU President M. Roy Wilson and First Lady Jacqueline Wilson kicked off the scholarship competition. Cass Tech junior Rakira Urquhart and sophomore Rianna Urquhart, and Detroit Edison Public School Academy Early College of Excellence sophomore Mya Wilson earned first place for their presentation on access to affordable healthy foods in Harper Woods, where they proposed the launch of a rotating farmers market. Mumford High School seniors Saran Diallo, William Gregory and Lauren Wells received second place for their analysis of foods available to students at school vending machines. Both first and second place teams will present their ideas Friday, March 9, during the Detroit Food Policy Council’s annual food summit. To learn more about the summit, visit detroitfoodpolicycouncil.net.
A new initiative, the Community Health Pipeline is developed and directed by Noel Kulik, PhD., CHES, an assistant professor in WSU’s College of Education and a research fellow in the CHCI. “We are thrilled to have supported Detroit youth in finding creative solutions to a health-related problem in their community while introducing them to the field of community health and college readiness,” she said.
The Community Health Pipeline works to educate, encourage and empower youth to be agents of change in the areas of food systems, health equity and food access. The five-pillar program seeks to formalize relationships among organizations in Detroit, leverage ongoing and existing resources in the city, train youth leaders to address community health problems, support youth in post-secondary opportunities, and address the lack of diversity in the community health field. The program is funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and the Michigan Fitness Foundation.
For more information about the Community Health Pipeline, contact Stephanie Osborn, project manager, at 313-577-0390 or CHP@wayne.edu, or visit coe.wayne.edu/centerforhealthandcommunityimpact/community-health-career-pipeline.php.
About the Center for Health and Community Impact
The mission of the Center for Health and Community Impact is to improve community health and vitality through leadership and advancement of research, programs and policies for healthy living. The Center works with community partners to develop and lead culturally relevant, evidence-based and sustainable programs that transform the healthy living opportunities for families, neighborhoods and organizations to promote a holistic approach to health and social equity across the lifespan. Through its efforts, educators, clinicians, practitioners, evaluators, researchers and community leaders at Wayne State University advance health and social equity at local, regional and national levels. The center’s programs have directly impacted more than 150,000 youth and families and 500 educators and health practitioners across 350 community organizations. For more information, visit coe.wayne.edu/centerforhealthandcommunityimpact.
About the College of Education
For more than a century, the Wayne State University College of Education has prepared effective urban educators who are reflective, innovative and committed to diversity. Its Teacher Education Division boasts one of the most comprehensive, well-established programs in the country, and all four academic divisions offer a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in nearly 30 program areas, including learning design and technology, leadership and policy, kinesiology, sport administration, education evaluation and research, health education and educational psychology, and counseling. To learn more, visit coe.wayne.edu.
About Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering nearly 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 27,000 students. For more information, visit wayne.edu.
About the Michigan Health Endowment Fund
The Michigan Health Endowment Fund works to improve the health and wellness of Michigan residents and reduce the cost of healthcare, with a special focus on children and seniors. More information about the Michigan Health Endowment Fund can be found at mhealthfund.com.
About the Michigan Fitness Foundation
The Michigan Fitness Foundation strives to cultivate a culture of health to transform the status quo and improve the health of all Michiganders. Its mission is to inspire active lifestyles and healthy food choices in the places we live, work and play. The Michigan Fitness Foundation focuses on increasing access to healthy food and low-cost physical activity opportunities, expanding nutrition and physical education, and shaping places to make the healthy choice the easy choice.