HHenderson90
Feb 12, 2014
Scholarship / Scholarship essay for Public Health masters program with focus on Nutrition [3]
The word limit is 2 pages double spaced. I have A LOT of community service experience, and I really simplified it in this one. I have about a paragraphs worth of words I can add.
Anything that needs more detail, clairification?
Did I answer the questions?
Thanks!!
Briefly discuss your interest(s) in public health, your community service experiences and career plans.
What is your understanding of "health disparities" in public health and what steps as a public health professional would you take to reduce health disparities?
Our access to health care, healthy food, time and our ability to exercise, is heavily dependent on race and ethnicity, gender, income level, sexual orientation, and geographic location. For this reason health disparities exist between different communities. I would say my interests and passions towards eliminating these disparities comes from my upbringing, as a foster child, never staying in one house or shelter for long, I lived without discipline in many regards. Until I met the people I now call my parents I lacked many important skills that allow someone to take care of themselves, and keep them healthy. Upon meeting Brian and Laura, I was introduced to the joy of cooking, gardening and found a drive to take control of my future and my health. I decided I could let my troublesome past break me, or I could be resilient, and make a better life for myself and help to make a change in the world.
My personal mission to decrease health disparities is to increase food access in communities, engage the citizens young and old in practices that make them more comfortable with growing and eating healthy food, and to provide nutrition and culinary education. I believe community gardens, urban farms and garden education programs accomplish these goals especially when they are located in food deserts and communities in need.
I have actively participated as a leader in many community organizations and projects focusing on healthy and fair food. As president and community outreach coordinator of Tallahassee Sustainability Group I demonstrated and honed my leadership abilities by overseeing the many projects of TSG and planning, facilitating bi-weekly meetings that encouraged collaboration between project teams, writing successful grants, planning many events, and managing the 18 community garden beds. As an adult leader at the iGrow youth farm I showed that I can take initiative, plan and execute a project successfully. I have organized a cooking program, and am currently working with an architect to design an outdoor kitchen. Currently, I facilitate cooking dinner with the youth every friday in our makeshift outdoor kitchen.
I believe change comes from actively engaged and inspired youth. For this reason I have immersed myself in many projects focusing on educating youth specifically on topics of gardening, nutrition and food justice. My internship with the the Leon County Extension Office in the Family and Consumer Science gave me experience in curriculum development and execution as I planned a cooking class for adults, and a culinary summer camp for children ages nine to thirteen. I further developed my abilities to educate on these topics by planning and executing a gardening curriculum for the TCC CROP program as well as volunteering with the Agrinauts Training Program.
As part of most of my community service experiences, my hands are in the dirt. Sometimes I am the teacher, and every time, I am the student. I have a green thumb and the knowledge to grow food efficiently, healthfully, and beautifully.
In terms of a career I see myself as a project or education coordinator, director in government or a non-profit organization for projects relating to community nutrition, sustainable food systems, and food access. I intend on continuing my education to the doctoral level to educate and inspire on the university level.
The word limit is 2 pages double spaced. I have A LOT of community service experience, and I really simplified it in this one. I have about a paragraphs worth of words I can add.
Anything that needs more detail, clairification?
Did I answer the questions?
Thanks!!
Briefly discuss your interest(s) in public health, your community service experiences and career plans.
What is your understanding of "health disparities" in public health and what steps as a public health professional would you take to reduce health disparities?
Our access to health care, healthy food, time and our ability to exercise, is heavily dependent on race and ethnicity, gender, income level, sexual orientation, and geographic location. For this reason health disparities exist between different communities. I would say my interests and passions towards eliminating these disparities comes from my upbringing, as a foster child, never staying in one house or shelter for long, I lived without discipline in many regards. Until I met the people I now call my parents I lacked many important skills that allow someone to take care of themselves, and keep them healthy. Upon meeting Brian and Laura, I was introduced to the joy of cooking, gardening and found a drive to take control of my future and my health. I decided I could let my troublesome past break me, or I could be resilient, and make a better life for myself and help to make a change in the world.
My personal mission to decrease health disparities is to increase food access in communities, engage the citizens young and old in practices that make them more comfortable with growing and eating healthy food, and to provide nutrition and culinary education. I believe community gardens, urban farms and garden education programs accomplish these goals especially when they are located in food deserts and communities in need.
I have actively participated as a leader in many community organizations and projects focusing on healthy and fair food. As president and community outreach coordinator of Tallahassee Sustainability Group I demonstrated and honed my leadership abilities by overseeing the many projects of TSG and planning, facilitating bi-weekly meetings that encouraged collaboration between project teams, writing successful grants, planning many events, and managing the 18 community garden beds. As an adult leader at the iGrow youth farm I showed that I can take initiative, plan and execute a project successfully. I have organized a cooking program, and am currently working with an architect to design an outdoor kitchen. Currently, I facilitate cooking dinner with the youth every friday in our makeshift outdoor kitchen.
I believe change comes from actively engaged and inspired youth. For this reason I have immersed myself in many projects focusing on educating youth specifically on topics of gardening, nutrition and food justice. My internship with the the Leon County Extension Office in the Family and Consumer Science gave me experience in curriculum development and execution as I planned a cooking class for adults, and a culinary summer camp for children ages nine to thirteen. I further developed my abilities to educate on these topics by planning and executing a gardening curriculum for the TCC CROP program as well as volunteering with the Agrinauts Training Program.
As part of most of my community service experiences, my hands are in the dirt. Sometimes I am the teacher, and every time, I am the student. I have a green thumb and the knowledge to grow food efficiently, healthfully, and beautifully.
In terms of a career I see myself as a project or education coordinator, director in government or a non-profit organization for projects relating to community nutrition, sustainable food systems, and food access. I intend on continuing my education to the doctoral level to educate and inspire on the university level.