How do we equip educators with the tools they need to speak effectively to their students about pressing health concerns? How do we build awareness and understanding for students spanning kindergarten through grade 12 about the science behind these health concerns and how they impact social and emotional well-being? The Johns Hopkins Health Education and Training (HEAT) Corps will collaborate with classroom teachers to convey these essential public health messages.
HEAT Corps leverages expertise and partnerships from across the Johns Hopkins Institutions. The Johns Hopkins Consortium for School-Based Health Solutions brings together educators, researchers, and clinicians to focus on developing successful, replicable and scalable school-based health solutions that address barriers to health and wellness access among underserved populations. Medicine for the Greater Good, part of the Johns Hopkins Bayview medical residency program, promotes health and wellness beyond the confines of the hospital through interactive and engaging partnerships with the community. SOURCE, the community engagement and service-learning center serving the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Public Health, Education, Nursing, and Medicine, creates strategies to integrate public health practice and community outreach activities into academic training in the health professions. The Office of Economic Development expands and elevates our commitment to Baltimore through investments in economic and neighborhood development, health care, and education.
HEAT Corps began with Medicine for Greater Good teaching the Lung Ambassador Program before it evolved into the program we know today. Experts at Johns Hopkins developed and piloted our virtual sessions to heighten student awareness of both the science of COVID-19 and the public health response over the 2020-21 school year using one hundred plus trained Hopkins volunteers (including specially trained medical residents, public health graduate students, etc.). As the pandemic progressed and additional pressing health concerns arose, Long COVID, Mental Health & Wellness, and the Dangers of E-cigarettes and Vaping curriculums were created to be shared with students in grades K-12. Each session is 45 minutes long, consisting of a 30-minute interactive presentation and 15 minutes of Q&A between our HEAT Corps instructors and students.
To schedule a session with HEAT Corps, please click the “Get the Programs” tab and complete our request form. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].