Meet the Pairs! (Public Health and Social Justice Leaders)

We have 14 teams in our class, each comprised of one Emory student (nearly all public health) and one Teach for America corps member. To make the class fun and to inspire everyone to learn more about the transformational leaders who have shaped our fields, we've divided the class in half and named each pair. The pairs in this half are named after leaders in public health and social justice. Click on the link in each team name to learn more about its namesake. 

Team (Cesar) CHAVEZ

Brianna Keefe-Oates, MPH Candidate, Global Health
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Dominican Republic '08-'11)

I am interested in this course because of my passions for youth development and health (and of course the combination of the two).  Because I have seen that schools are an effective way to reach youth, I'd like to use this course to learn more about working in schools and developing curricula that have an important impact on students' health.  I'm also excited to familiarize myself with the Atlanta community and learn about what health issues concern and interest youth in the Atlanta area.

Kathleen Kayner Mitchell, 7th grade science, Freedom Middle School
I am really excited to be a part of this class; almost everyday I see the ill effects of poor health on my student's education, and I see this class as a way to bridge the gap not only in their education but also in their health care. I believe this class will address the needs of my students and offer collaborative solutions to common health care issues in public education. 

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Team (Jim) CURRAN
Alvin Tran, MPH Candidate, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education

Before my MPH, I had the opportunity to volunteer as a Health Educator at an HIV-positive orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. There I taught  hand-washing and teeth-brushing skills in a small classroom setting. This experience ignited my interests in health education as I found great enjoyment in educating others.  Classroom to Community provides the opportunity to apply curriculum design and planning skills and valuable teaching experience in an under-served community.

Shawn Kacker, 11th grade physics, South Atlanta High School

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Team (Paul) FARMER

Erika Rees, MPH Candidate, Environmental Health

I am very passionate about environmental issues, particularly air pollution and climate change.  These issues are scientifically complex and often controversial, but I feel that proper education about the subjects can lead to their resolution.  For the past year and a half, I have co-led an environmental club at Springdale Park Elementary School.

Scot Seitz, 6^th grade science, Ivy Prep Academy

I plan to work as a public health researcher investigating the link between the achievement gap and health disparities. However, I lack experience with direct health education and its role in reducing health disparities. This class will help me better understand how health education can be utilized in my future work, and it will also help me make an even broader impact on my current students. 

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Team (Michael) POLLAN

Kristi Webster, MPH Candidate, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
As an undergraduate at University of Connecticut I worked for an after-school program that served low-income children in Hartford. Not only did I have a blast teaching children about nutrition and physical activity, but that experience helped me decide to enter the field of public health. Since coming to Rollins I have been looking to gain more hands-on experience in health education, and Classroom to Community provides the perfect opportunity for that.

Grayce Selig, 11^th grade chemistry, McNair High School

A student’s health and their classroom performance are intertwined. I have come to the realization that my students will have trouble succeeding in the classroom if their personal health wavers. Coming to this understanding, I am excited to partner with the Rollins School of Public Health in order to expose  my students to vital information, which otherwise, they may not get anywhere else.

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Team (Eleanor) ROOSEVELT

Alice S. Byrd, MPH Candidate, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
 I am interested in the Classroom to Community program because both my focus professionally and in courses has been on health in an educational setting. I really enjoy working with students, and hope that I will be able to help design school-based health programs when I graduate. This program seems like a perfect match for my interests and I am excited to gain hands-on experience working with students.

Jenny Drucker, 1^st grade, George A. Towns Elementary School

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Team (John) SNOW

Erica Hazra, MPH Candidate, Global Epidemiology

I love working with kids, especially middle-schoolers. I also strongly believe that public health and education must go hand-in-hand. Prevention is the foundation of public health, and one important way to build that foundation is by incorporating the promotion of health and wellness into childhood education. I hope that by participating in this course, I will learn how to apply my interests and strengths towards successfully incorporating health education into my career.

Nina Hyvarinen, 7^th grade science, Bethune Middle School
I wanted to become a Health Educator Advisor because I want to increase my students' exposure to issues in health as well as open their eyes to the opportunities provided to them in the math and science fields. This experience will surely inspire and motivate my students, as they see the application of science in the real world. I also hope that through this partnership, my students and their families will gain the knowledge they need to become advocates for their own health.
 

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Team (Gloria) STEINEM

Gaelle Gourmelon, MPH Candidate, Global Environmental Health

My personal interests lie in reconnecting people with nature to improve their developmental, physical, and psychological health.  Because people build relationships with nature at an early age, I would love to learn how to engage children. I have previously served as a Labs for Kids Science Mentor for fourth and fifth graders. I feel that this experience in the classroom will further prepare me to work in health education.

Amy Bryson, 6^th grade science, McNair Middle School

I have two major passions in life - health and education - both spurred by a health and community study abroad trip around the world to India, China and South Africa. Post TFA, I will be pursuing my MPH at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health  in Health Education and Health Behavior. Beyond that it is my hope and intention to merge these two passions into a career – so why not start now with Classroom to Community!