This summer, our Center’s Community Engagement Core (CEC) lead a six-week program focusing on Environmental Health for high school seniors who are part of the Boston Area Health Education Center’s Summer Enrichment Program (BAHEC). BAHEC offers year-round programs aimed at academic enrichment, professional development, and health career exploration.
The CEC’s program consisted of 3 overall themes, including: climate change and air pollution, personal care product safety, and environmental racism/justice. Student activities included a demonstration about ocean current patterns, monitoring ultra fine particles in the community surrounding Harvard Chan, taking inventory of street trees, and learning about resources to check the safety of chemicals in their personal care products. During two sessions, BAHEC students worked with the Harvard NIEHS Environmental Racism in Greater Boston story map. They also used sensors to measure temperature and humidity in their homes. Using the sensors provided an opportunity to examine time-activity patterns and learn about exposure assessment methods.
As exploration of careers in health and public health is a major emphasis of the BAHEC program, our summer program also included a career panel during which BAHEC students could ask HSPH faculty, staff, students and community partners questions about careers in public health.
