The public health CARES initiative: a framework for public health education in high schools using the SMAART model
Using the SMAART model (Sustainable, Multisector, Accessible, Affordable, Reimbursable, and Tailored), the Public Health CARES [Coping, Adaptability, Resilience, Empathy, and Success, (or PH-CARES)] initiative aims to address health inequities among youth to promote health education in schools and c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1563971/full |
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| author | Ashish Joshi Niharika Jha Michelle Taylor Nichole Saulsberry-Scarboro Courtney Orians Sally Parish Kristle Hodges Johnson Lori Ward Coree Entwistle Satish Kedia David Russomanno |
| author_facet | Ashish Joshi Niharika Jha Michelle Taylor Nichole Saulsberry-Scarboro Courtney Orians Sally Parish Kristle Hodges Johnson Lori Ward Coree Entwistle Satish Kedia David Russomanno |
| author_sort | Ashish Joshi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Using the SMAART model (Sustainable, Multisector, Accessible, Affordable, Reimbursable, and Tailored), the Public Health CARES [Coping, Adaptability, Resilience, Empathy, and Success, (or PH-CARES)] initiative aims to address health inequities among youth to promote health education in schools and communities. PH-CARES integrates public health curriculum into high schools to enhance students’ knowledge and skills, fostering their adaptability, resilience, empathy, and success. The PH-CARES initiative includes the establishment of a public health dual-enrollment program, Public Health Clubs, and the Public Health Hackathon, all designed to provide hands-on learning experiences. Our preliminary assessments from these initiatives reveal that they bridged didactic learning to real-world applications and facilitate students’ engagement with public health campaigns, community projects, and case studies, while providing the opportunity to earn college credits through a dual-enrollment program. Students participating in these initiatives gained a deeper understanding of public health issues, population health, social determinants, and data analytics, and were sensitized to local health issues preparing them for future public health careers. The initiative’s holistic approach demonstrates the potential for scalable public health education programs that empower students and promote long-term community health and well-being, establishing a model that can be implemented globally. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-164cfbd5a95a4223ba79ff8ae2833f2a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-164cfbd5a95a4223ba79ff8ae2833f2a2025-08-20T03:28:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-07-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15639711563971The public health CARES initiative: a framework for public health education in high schools using the SMAART modelAshish Joshi0Niharika Jha1Michelle Taylor2Nichole Saulsberry-Scarboro3Courtney Orians4Sally Parish5Kristle Hodges Johnson6Lori Ward7Coree Entwistle8Satish Kedia9David Russomanno10School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesSchool of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesShelby County Health Department, Memphis, TN, United StatesSchool of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesAdmissions Dual Enrollment and Special Enrollment Programs, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesVice Provost and Director of Schools, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesUniversity High School, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesSchool of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesSchool of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesSchool of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesOffice of the Provost and Academic Affairs, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United StatesUsing the SMAART model (Sustainable, Multisector, Accessible, Affordable, Reimbursable, and Tailored), the Public Health CARES [Coping, Adaptability, Resilience, Empathy, and Success, (or PH-CARES)] initiative aims to address health inequities among youth to promote health education in schools and communities. PH-CARES integrates public health curriculum into high schools to enhance students’ knowledge and skills, fostering their adaptability, resilience, empathy, and success. The PH-CARES initiative includes the establishment of a public health dual-enrollment program, Public Health Clubs, and the Public Health Hackathon, all designed to provide hands-on learning experiences. Our preliminary assessments from these initiatives reveal that they bridged didactic learning to real-world applications and facilitate students’ engagement with public health campaigns, community projects, and case studies, while providing the opportunity to earn college credits through a dual-enrollment program. Students participating in these initiatives gained a deeper understanding of public health issues, population health, social determinants, and data analytics, and were sensitized to local health issues preparing them for future public health careers. The initiative’s holistic approach demonstrates the potential for scalable public health education programs that empower students and promote long-term community health and well-being, establishing a model that can be implemented globally.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1563971/fullpublic health educationsecondary educationexperiential learningSMAART modelyouth empowermentsocial determinants of health (SDOH) |
| spellingShingle | Ashish Joshi Niharika Jha Michelle Taylor Nichole Saulsberry-Scarboro Courtney Orians Sally Parish Kristle Hodges Johnson Lori Ward Coree Entwistle Satish Kedia David Russomanno The public health CARES initiative: a framework for public health education in high schools using the SMAART model Frontiers in Public Health public health education secondary education experiential learning SMAART model youth empowerment social determinants of health (SDOH) |
| title | The public health CARES initiative: a framework for public health education in high schools using the SMAART model |
| title_full | The public health CARES initiative: a framework for public health education in high schools using the SMAART model |
| title_fullStr | The public health CARES initiative: a framework for public health education in high schools using the SMAART model |
| title_full_unstemmed | The public health CARES initiative: a framework for public health education in high schools using the SMAART model |
| title_short | The public health CARES initiative: a framework for public health education in high schools using the SMAART model |
| title_sort | public health cares initiative a framework for public health education in high schools using the smaart model |
| topic | public health education secondary education experiential learning SMAART model youth empowerment social determinants of health (SDOH) |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1563971/full |
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