National Public Health Week 2016: Highlights from state, local, campus activities ================================================================================= * Kim Krisberg *Health advocates submitted details of their NPHW events to The Nation’s Health in April, an alphabetical summary of which follows*. For the second year in a row, communities rallied around a National Public Health Week theme of “Healthiest Nation 2030.” Nationwide, public health practitioners, supporters, students and advocates celebrated the April 4-10 observance through a wide variety of events and activities, many of which educated attendees about their roles in building healthier communities and encouraged them to join APHA’s movement to create the healthiest nation in one generation. ## ALASKA In Anchorage, Alaska, Mayor Ethan Berkowitz signed a National Public Health Week proclamation that highlighted the state’s health improvement plan, Healthy Alaskans 2020. In addition, the Alaska Public Health Association awarded mini-grants to support two NPHW events: a health fair in Barrow, Alaska, and a statewide childhood immunization campaign organized by the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership. In observance of NPHW, public health clinics in Ketchikan and Kodiak, Alaska, welcomed the community to attend their open house events. ![Figure1](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F1.medium.gif) [Figure1](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F1) Students participated in the University of Alaska-Anchorage’s National Public Health Week events by creating an NPHW information booth for visitors to examine. The University of Alaska in Anchorage, Alaska, hosted a variety of National Public Health Week events, including a discussion on “Happy 21st Birthday! Educating Civic Responsibility: A Public Conversation About Healthy Communities and Underage Drinking” and a walk around the campus lake. Later in the week, the university’s College of Health Diversity Committee hosted a viewing and discussion of “Love & Mercy,” a biographical film about Brian Wilson, the co-founder of the Beach Boys, and his mental health struggles. With a goal of strengthening partnerships between the campus and community, MPH students enrolled in the “Public Health and Society” course engaged with a local group or agency to create and implement a NPHW activity. Among the many activities was a table on campus that offered students information on the human papillomavirus and meningococcal vaccinations as well as Zika virus; fliers on campus promoting inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities; and a local food drive. Also in observance of NPHW, the Anchorage campus hosted a screening of “Paper Tigers,” a documentary about a school that works to provide trauma-informed education to students who experience traumatic events in their childhoods. The screening was hosted in partnership with the Alaska Children’s Trust, Prevent Child Abuse America and the university’s Department of Residence Life. At the university’s campus in Homer, Alaska, NPHW activities included a screening of the “Weight of the Nation: Children in Crisis,” while in Juneau, Alaska, a public health student partnered with the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Tobacco-Free Workgroup to create and disseminate a pamphlet about the risks of electronic cigarettes. Also in Juneau, Gov. Bill Walker issued a proclamation in observance of National Public Health Week. As part of the proclamation, Walker highlighted the state’s health improvement plan, Healthy Alaskans 2020, and encouraged all state residents to “work together by helping our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers and leaders better understand the importance of public health and make a commitment to improve their own health and well-being.” ## CALIFORNIA To kick off National Public Health Week in Claremont, California, the Claremont Graduate University School of Community and Global Health hosted a student panel of health policy fellows who presented a discussion about “Building Healthier Communities: Partnerships for Community Transformation.” During the panel, MPH students shared their experiences working on community health initiatives. The school also held a Public Health Internship and Career Fair, during which community partners and local health organizations reached out to students with job information. To conclude the week, students participated in a Cesar Chavez Day of Service, packing more than 18,000 meals in just two hours to help combat hunger in at-risk communities. Fullerton College in Fullerton, California, observed National Public Health Week with its Spring Health Fair, a collaboration between the college and community health care providers. The event offered students free health screenings, health information and education, demonstrations and many more health-related activities. Among the fair’s many participants were the American Lung Association and OneLegacy, which advocates for organ donation in the southern California region. The University of California-San Diego Institute for Public Health in La Jolla, California, observed National Public Health Week with its second Public Health Research Day. Organized to highlight student and faculty research, the day kicked off with presentations from APHA member Linda Hill, MD, MPH, a professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, and APHA member Nick Macchione, MPH, MS, director of the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, who both discussed their personal journeys into the field of public health and how the experiences shaped their current public health work. ![Figure2](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F2.medium.gif) [Figure2](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F2) A University of Alaska-Anchorage group participates in the “No Matter the Weather” walk around Goose Lake. ![Figure3](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F3.medium.gif) [Figure3](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F3) Claremont Graduate University School of Community and Global Health hosted multiple events for NPHW, including a public health internship and career fair, in Claremont, California. ![Figure4](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F4.medium.gif) [Figure4](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F4) Fullerton College’s Cypress College Nursing Program worked to educate the next generation of registered nurses during the Orange County, California, college’s NPHW celebration. ![Figure5](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F5.medium.gif) [Figure5](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F5) California Baptist University’s Online and Professional Studies Division celebrated National Public Health Week by organizing a faculty, staff and student walk in Riverside, California. ![Figure6](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F6.medium.gif) [Figure6](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F6) In California, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency celebrates National Public Health Week with a Walk for Health that engaged public health workers. ![Figure7](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F7.medium.gif) [Figure7](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F7) Participants enjoy the Tour de UCLA. The interactive cycle tour highlighted the bike-friendly design of the the University of California-Los Angeles. ![Figure8](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F8.medium.gif) [Figure8](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F8) The University of California-San Diego’s Institute for Public Health hosts its second annual Public Health Research Day on April 6. ![Figure9](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F9.medium.gif) [Figure9](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F9) Chesprocott Health District in Cheshire, Connecticut, celebrated NPHW with an April 9 event at the head of a trail, encouraging exercise and fitness. After the talks, nearly 300 attendees browsed showcased research from undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral students and faculty. Research touched on a variety of topics, including chronic disease, health disparities, environmental health, and community health programs and policy. Prizes were awarded in a number of categories, including honors for the top three posters addressing public health in action. In Los Angeles, the Students of Color for Public Health at the University of California-Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health and the university’s National Public Health Week Committee organized a variety of events to celebrate public health. The week’s kickoff activities began with a keynote address from APHA member Jody Heymann, MD, PhD, dean of the public health school, who discussed the need for public health on a global scale and talked about the work being done at the university’s World Policy Analysis Center. Later that day, organizers welcomed attendees to a town hall to discuss microaggressions and how faculty and staff can help create healthy environments for all students. ![Figure10](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F10.medium.gif) [Figure10](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F10) The Connecticut Public Health Association’s Mentors on Request program in Farmington, Connecticut, worked to reach high school and community college students in 70 communities during National Public Health Week. On Tuesday of NPHW, students held the second “Tox It Out,” an event about toxic substances and personal care products, in which attendees learned how to make their products using natural ingredients. The third annual Tour de UCLA took place on Tuesday as well. The interactive bike tour highlighted the campus’ bike-friendly design. Tuesday’s activities ended with a panel on “Green Jobs and Communities of Color,” which focused on how to bring marginalized communities into the green economy and foster their inclusion in the larger green economy movement. During Wednesday of NPHW, activities included a presentation on the campus’ new bike-share program as well as a panel discussion on “Designing for Health — The Built Environment,” which explored how architects and urban planners can contribute to healthier communities. Thursday featured a presentation on navigating the Affordable Care Act and its insurance options in graduate school and beyond. Later that day, an “Advocacy Through Media” panel featured documentary filmmakers and communications experts who discussed their work to promote public health messages. NPHW wrapped up on the Los Angeles campus with a speed mentoring and networking event between alumni, graduate public health students and undergraduates interested in public health. At California Baptist University in Riverside, California, APHA member Dominick Sturz, DrPH, director of the Master of Public Health Program, organized a Walk for Health to celebrate National Public Health Week and promote health through physical activity. Faculty, staff and students came together to participate in the one-mile walk, while online students were encouraged to take part by organizing their own walks and sharing the experiences via social media. At National University School of Health and Human Services in San Diego, the Center of Excellence Community Engagement Core celebrated National Public Health Week with a multicultural health and career fair. To highlight the importance of multisector partnerships in improving community health, university organizers collaborated with community health students, nursing students, community members and fellow university institutions and programs. The NPHW event offered career services, information on mental and emotional wellness, kids’ education on farm-to-table efforts and instruction in hands-only CPR. The event also featured guest speakers from the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation who spoke about healthy eating habits and immunizations. The County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency in Santa Cruz, California, celebrated National Public Health Week with a full week of community events, including a Walk for Health in which more than a dozen public health workers walked about a mile to the county government building to hear the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors’ NPHW proclamation. The week included a Public Health in Action Art Show that featured photos of public health champions promoting health in the community. Families also attended a film night focused on healthy eating and active living at a local community center. The free event featured short Spanish-language films, a mini Zumba class and a question-and-answer session with a bilingual dietitian. ## COLORADO In Denver, Colorado, the National Environmental Health Association released a new infographic during National Public Health Week to spread the word about environmental public health work. The infographic, developed with the help of the Environmental Health Coalition, highlights some ways the public benefits from the work of environmental health professionals, such as monitoring air quality, treating drinking water, inspecting septic systems, keeping food safe and investigating foodborne illness outbreaks. ![Figure11](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F11.medium.gif) [Figure11](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F11) The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights holds a hearing on the nexus between tobacco and human rights as part of its NPHW observation. Photo by Daniel Cima, courtesy Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ## CONNECTICUT The Chesprocott Health District in Cheshire, Connecticut, partnered with a nearby medical center to observe National Public Health Week with a celebration of fitness, exercise and walking. The three-hour event was held at the start of a local “rail trail,” an old railroad that was refurbished into a walking trail. Organizers passed out bottles of water and informational materials on the benefits of walking and raffled off a FitBit Charge. In Farmington, Connecticut, the Connecticut Public Health Association Mentors on Request program decided to raise awareness about health literacy in observance of National Public Health Week. Mentors on Request leaders worked with local MPH students to develop a health literacy curriculum that was piloted in a handful of high schools. The goal of the online educational unit, “Health Literacy: Don’t Leave School Without It,” is to introduce students to the field of public health. Organizers predicted they would reach 2,700 students in 75 communities by May. ![Figure12](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F12.medium.gif) [Figure12](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F12) The Public & Allied Health Organization at Delaware State University hosts an informational table on campus. The group focused on chronic and infectious diseases, substance abuse, social determinants and preparedness during four days of NPHW events. ## DELAWARE The Public and Allied Health Organization at Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware, split its National Public Health Week celebrations across four days of events: Chronic Disease Day, Infectious Disease Day, Substance Abuse Day and Social Determinants and Preparedness Day. Among their many NPHW activities, organizers made lanyards depicting diseases such as heart disease, colorectal cancer and influenza. They gave away pamphlets, prevention tools, goodie bags and more to promote the week and educate fellow students about disease prevention. On each day, organizers set up their informational table at a different college or campus to reach as many students as possible and made a point to engage visitors with questions about tuberculosis testing and heart disease prevention. To celebrate National Public Health Week, the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware, hosted its first Scrub Run 5K. Participants arrived early in the morning dressed in a mix of medical scrubs and athletic wear, running through town and finishing with a ceremony at a campus hotel. Among the Scrub Run’s many sponsors were the University of Delaware, Delaware Public Health Association, the Delaware Academy of Medicine and the Immunization Coalition of Delaware. Other NPHW activities at the Newark campus included a family fun night at the university’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research Campus Health Sciences Complex. Hosted by the Public Health Club and others, the event offered interactive, hands-on stations for kids, such as a hand hygiene demonstration using glitter. Other stations encouraged kids to design pictures using healthy foods, taught them about concussion safety, and let them take part in an obstacle course to demonstrate how exercise impacts a person’s heart rate and blood pressure. On Tuesday of NPHW, students and the public were welcomed to a distinguished scholar lecture series about obesity and diabetes. Wednesday featured the First Step Grand Challenge, which took a year to organize. The challenge took place during the 2015-2016 academic year and involved nearly 100 undergraduates from across seven colleges who developed innovative solutions to health, societal and environmental issues. During NPHW, challenge teams presented their ideas to a panel of judges, competing for more than $10,000 in prizes. The winning ideas included building a community garden accessible to people with disabilities, providing job counseling and resume development assistance for people who are homeless and using a device to measure weight distribution in amputees after surgery. In the final days of NPHW at the University of Delaware, high school students from Maryland and Delaware visited the Health Sciences Complex laboratories to learn about biomechanics. On Thursday, the Evelyn Hayes Innovations in Healthcare Symposium focused on “Parkinson’s Disease: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” On Friday of NPHW, community members, university staff and students were invited to a Public Health Club viewing of the film “Erin Brockovich” and a post-film discussion of environmental health issues. ![Figure13](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F13.medium.gif) [Figure13](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F13) A Scrub Run 5K, in which runners dressed in a mix of medical scrubs and athletic wear, was held at the University of Delaware in Newark during NPHW. ![Figure14](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F14.medium.gif) [Figure14](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F14) Children enjoy games during an educational family fun night at the University of Delaware in Newark. ![Figure15](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F15.medium.gif) [Figure15](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F15) Staff from the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County, Florida, enjoy an NPHW walk. The walking path around the complex includes encouraging signs. ![Figure16](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F16.medium.gif) [Figure16](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F16) Students and faculty at National University of Health Sciences in Pinellas Park, Florida, hosted a variety of NPHW events. ## FLORIDA The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County in Bradenton, Florida, celebrated National Public Health Week with an employee lunch-and-learn event that featured discussions about portion sizes and nutrition and engaged attendees in a question-and-answer session. Each day of the week, the health department hosted 15-minute employee wellness walks around the agency’s campus, passing signs with positive messages such as “Small steps make a big difference.” Also throughout the week, the agency recognized more than 30 community partners for their work in helping the health department achieve its mission. On Thursday of NPHW, agency staff set up tables in the lobbies of the main health department building and the women, infants and children buildings, offering information on healthy eating and community gardening. Employees and visitors were able to sign up for free community garden plots or to volunteer at the community garden. Friday featured a healthy breakfast for staff to celebrate their personal achievements as well as the agency’s accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board. The breakfast also included a canned food drive for a local food bank. NPHW activities kept up through the weekend in Bradenton, when the Manatee County health agency set up a booth at a local farmers market and handed out information on healthy eating. In mid-April in support of the NPHW call to help all young people graduate from high school, Manatee County health workers gave presentations to local middle and high school students. The presentations included a mock disease outbreak investigation in which students had to find the source of illness that leads people to act like the zombies. The activity was based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s tongue-in-cheek zombie preparedness campaign to engage people in emergency preparedness. In celebration of National Public Health Week in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, the Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County, in partnership with the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of the Okaloosa Farmers Market. The newly expanded market includes a bigger covered structure to allow for more vendors. The market also participates in the food coupon program for enrollees in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. In Pinellas Park, Florida, the National University of Health Sciences Florida campus celebrated National Public Health Week with a variety of events. The highlight of the week was a panel discussion on “Move a Nation, Teach a Child,” which the school hosted in partnership with St. Petersburg College that welcomed more than 80 attendees. Led by faculty and students within the doctor of chiropractic program, speakers offered strategies for daily physical activity and led the audience through a short workout as well as a positive affirmation exercise to benefit mental health. The panel also included information on healthy and kid-friendly recipes and ways to teach children about nutrition and healthy food choices. Also during NPHW, National University of Health Sciences students passed out informational brochures at St. Petersburg College, and many students sported badges that read: “NPHW-Healthiest Nation 2030.” The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Institute of Public Health at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida, held a full week of events in honor of National Public Health Week. Many of the efforts, led by the student organization Future Public Health Professionals, focused on two NPHW themes: social justice and health, and giving everyone a choice of healthy foods. Beginning on Monday, students were greeted with an NPHW banner, and organizers handed out informational fliers and healthy snacks. Other events included a healthy happy hour and an hour-long Twitter chat focused on the NPHW theme of “Healthiest Nation 2030.” To emphasize the social justice theme, the college and institute hosted a town hall meeting on water quality and safety, HIV/AIDS stigma and food deserts. In Tampa, Florida, the University of South Florida College of Public Health began its National Public Health Week events early with an April 1 Mothers Against Drunk Driving walk on campus, during which student volunteers encouraged walkers to pledge to make healthy choices in their lives. On April 2, students and faculty led a Health Service Corps health fair at a local elementary school, reaching more than 250 adults and children with health information. Also in observance of NPHW, students and faculty volunteered at Campamento Alegría, which offers support and activities for Hispanic cancer patients and survivors. More than 70 people attended a viewing of the documentary “Someone You Love: The HPV Epidemic” and joined a panel discussion featuring faculty and student experts. On April 5 at the Tampa campus, more than 200 students, faculty and staff participated in Give Life Day by donating blood, registering to be a marrow and organ donor, practicing CPR and taking part in alcohol and tobacco prevention activities. The College of Public Health award ceremony took place on April 6, honoring more than 150 students, faculty, alumni and community partners. That same day, more than 250 university students were introduced to public health academic programs and careers at an informational booth. Other NPHW events included a forum about Zika virus and other vector-borne diseases, community health fairs and a celebratory picnic complete with healthy foods, volleyball and canoeing. Overall, the College of Public Health’s NPHW activities reached more than 1,500 members of the college, university and community. ![Figure17](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F17.medium.gif) [Figure17](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F17) The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County partnered with the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners to expand the Okaloosa Farmers’ Market in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, during NPHW. ![Figure18](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F18.medium.gif) [Figure18](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F18) Students and staff at the University of South Florida College of Public Health in Tampa participated in Give Life Day by donating blood, registering for the National Marrow Donor Program and engaging in other activities. ![Figure19](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F19.medium.gif) [Figure19](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F19) On April 6, University of South Florida College of Public Health students and staff introduced more than 250 students to public health academic programs and careers via games at the USF Bull Market in Tampa, Florida. ![Figure20](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F20.medium.gif) [Figure20](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F20) The Agnes Scott College Public Health Club partnered with the nonprofit organization Be The Match to host a bone marow drive on April 8 at the school’s Letitia Pate Evans Dining Hall in Decatur, Georgia. Photo courtesy Tanvi Metha ![Figure21](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F21.medium.gif) [Figure21](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F21) Graduating Master of Public Health students and PhD candidates are the newest members of Georgia State University’s Gamma Upsilon chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health. ![Figure22](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F22.medium.gif) [Figure22](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F22) The Hawaii Public Health Association holds its NPHW Healthy Happy Hour, which included speakers who talked about health challenges and progress in the state. ![Figure23](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F23.medium.gif) [Figure23](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F23) Harrison County Home and Public Health in Logan, Iowa, hosts a health care fair, including free screenings, services and demonstrations on April 9. ## GEORGIA During National Public Health Week, 118 public health associates enrolled in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Associate Program traveled to Atlanta for the agency’s spring training event. The mission of the Public Health Associate Program is to provide experiential learning opportunities to early career professionals. Associates are assigned to public health organizations across the country and work on issues such as improving access to quality care, strengthening clinical and community linkages and advocating for a health-in-all-policies approach. In recognition of NPHW, second-year associates concluded their training with a class photo that will serve as a reminder that “We Are Generation Public Health.” At Georgia State University in Atlanta, the Association for Chronic Disease Awareness observed National Public Health Week with its annual Chronic Disease Day. The community event focused on raising awareness about Type 2 diabetes and lupus and featured a representative from the Diabetes Association of Atlanta as well as a speaker who discussed personal struggles with lupus. The Georgia State University School of Public Health in Atlanta, celebrated National Public Health Week with a slate of events designed to highlight the school’s research and community connections. For the third year in a row, the school hosted its annual Kreuter Katz Conversation on Health Equity, which featured APHA member Helene Gayle, MD, MPH, CEO of the McKinsey Social Initiative, who spoke about addressing health disparities and health equity using a global perspective. Other NPHW events included “Unifying Atlanta Through Better Bicycling,” a discussion on ways to make Atlanta a more bike-friendly community, as well as the first induction ceremony for Georgia State University’s Gamma Upsilon chapter of Delta Omega, an honorary society for public health. Also in honor of NPHW, the Georgia chapter of Prevent Child Abuse, which is housed in the school’s Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development, hosted a screening of “The Raising of America,” a documentary series about early childhood development. ![Figure24](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F24.medium.gif) [Figure24](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F24) Nursing and medical students at Rush University-Medical Center pose for a photo while helping out at the Chicago Lighthouse's NPHW observance. Photo by Dominic Calabrese, courtesy the Chicago Lighthouse ![Figure25](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F25.medium.gif) [Figure25](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F25) AmeriCorps volunteers in Carlinville, Illinois, host tables at Blackburn College to promote Macoupin County Safe Families, a domestic violence program, and Maple Street Clinic, which works to help people with drug addiction. Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta kicked off National Public Health Week with a celebration on the National Center for Primary Care plaza. The event offered students the chance to sample healthy smoothies, pick healthy ingredients for easy recipes and guess the caloric intake of their favorite foods. Attendees could also sign APHA’s Generation Public Health pledge, learn about the APHA Student Assembly and take part in a Gimme Five flash dance inspired by first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign. In Decatur, Georgia, the Agnes Scott College’s Public Health Club kicked off National Public Health Week with a Tasty Tuesday event, in which fellow students were taught how to make easy, affordable and healthy meals without access to a regular kitchen. On Thursday of NPHW, students attended a public health-themed trivia night. Trivia questions focused on topics such as chronic disease, infectious disease, health policy and environmental crises. The Public Health Club concluded the week with a bone marrow donation sign-up drive in partnership with Be The Match Registry. During the informational event, about 25 students signed up to be bone marrow donors. ## HAWAII The Hawaii Public Health Association celebrated National Public Health Week with an evening event in Honolulu featuring three speakers who discussed challenges and progress around a theme of “Healthiest Nation 2030: Hawaii: The Healthiest State?” Speakers touched on topics such as Hawaii’s response to homelessness, understanding substance abuse disorders during pregnancy, and efforts to keep Hawaii in the No. 1 ranked spot within the America’s Health Rankings report. Following the event, attendees enjoyed a healthy happy hour. ## ILLINOIS At Macoupin County Public Health Department in Carlinville, Illinois, raising awareness about domestic violence was a centerpiece of National Public Health Week activities. Among the activities was setting up an informational table at the local Blackburn College to reach students, faculty and staff as well as posting informational fliers in bathrooms and bulletin boards at the local courthouse. In addition to domestic violence awareness, organizers used NPHW as an opportunity to recruit volunteers to a local clinic that addresses drug abuse and addiction. Members of the undergraduate Public Health Alliance at the University of Illinois in Chicago celebrated National Public Health Week with a We Are Public Health Fair on campus. The event was designed to raise awareness about volunteer opportunities across Chicago, encourage networking among student organizations, educate on public health issues and highlight School of Public Health programs. During the event, attendees were asked to write down what public health meant to them and pose with their answers for a photo, which was eventually posted to the event’s Twitter page with the hashtag #UICNPHW16. Students used the hashtag throughout the week to tweet and post about their efforts to make the U.S. a healthier nation and the person with the best tweet received a $25 gift card. Among the many organizations represented at the fair were the Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Public Health Association and the APHA Student Assembly. Other NPHW events included a health quiz from the state health department’s Americorps program, a safe water survey conducted by the Student Alliance for Public Health and the Environment and a campus survey about the university’s no-smoking policy conducted by undergraduate students. Students were encouraged to join APHA and its Affiliate, the Illinois Public Health Association. ![Figure26](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F26.medium.gif) [Figure26](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F26) The Master of Public Health Program at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois, celebrated NPHW with a variety of events, including hosting an informational table on healthy beverage choices, running a webinar on social justice and health and offering an active shooter awareness presentation. ![Figure27](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F27.medium.gif) [Figure27](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F27) The DeKalb County Health Department in DeKalb, Illinois, participated in several NPHW events, including a social media campaign and lobby display. The Chicago Lighthouse, a Chicago nonprofit organization that serves blind, visually impaired, disabled and veteran communities, celebrated National Public Health Week with a variety of fun activities, including a yoga class, dances, nutritious lunches, informational discussions and a weight loss contest. Nursing and medical students from Rush University planned and helped out with many of the activities. In DeKalb, Illinois, the DeKalb County Health Department celebrated National Public Health Week with the launch of a social media campaign to promote the county’s public health programs and the role of public health workers in the community. Daily campaign posts to social media reached nearly 4,000 people. In addition, public health workers created a lobby display with posters from each of the agency’s departments that described their responsibilities and how they contributed to the public’s health. In observance of National Public Health Week, a representative from the Lee County Health Department Americorps program in Dixon, Illinois, partnered with a program at a local high school that helps students with special needs develop independent living skills. During the NPHW activity, students learned about emergency preparedness and made their own first-aid kits. In addition to the classroom experience, students also toured the local 911 dispatch office. The Master of Public Health Program at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois, launched its National Public Health Week events with an active shooter awareness presentation from local public safety officials. On Tuesday, in support of the NPHW topic of social justice and health, students hosted a webinar on health equity that included ways in which the Affordable Care Act has reduced health disparities. Wednesday focused on healthy food, with an informational table on healthy beverage choices and promotional materials from the Rethink Your Drink campaign. Thursday of NPHW was designed to support climate change adaptation and offered information on how to contact members of Congress in support of the Clean Air Act. To wrap up the week with a nod to the NPHW theme of “Healthiest Nation 2030,” students were encouraged to sign APHA’s pledge to create the healthiest nation in one generation. ## INDIANA In Marion, Indiana, the Indiana Wesleyan University Master of Public Health program kicked off National Public Health Week with poster presentations of students’ capstone projects and scholarly work from faculty. The week ended with a reception to recognize the work of the university’s Health Center staff. ![Figure28](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F28.medium.gif) [Figure28](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F28) Students in Dixon High School’s Transitions program in Dixon, Illinois, made their own first-aid kits with help from local volunteers. ## IOWA Harrison County Home and Public Health in Logan, Iowa, celebrated National Public Health Week with its second Live Healthy Harrison County Healthcare Fair. The fair featured about 20 vendors offering information on public health, emergency management, smoking cessation, dental care, chiropractic health, equestrian therapy, pet therapy, gambling addiction help, exercise and clinical care. Attendees could also take advantage of free skin cancer screenings, scoliosis and posture screenings, balance assessments, tai chi demonstrations and much more. Also on-site was a medical transport helicopter, fire truck and ambulance, all of which attendees could explore. To kick off the fair, organizers invited attendees to take part in an autism awareness walk and encouraged donations to benefit the Autism Society of Iowa. ## KANSAS In Topeka, Kansas, the Kansas Public Health Association celebrated National Public Health Week with the help of the University of Kansas Medical Center and supporters in Sedgwick and Johnson counties. During the week, members of the APHA Affiliate attended a conference to promote the newly released County Health Rankings. The association also conducted a social media campaign using e-cards and statements from residents across Kansas on how they personally benefit from public health. In Sedgwick County, NPHW supporters wrote 13 letters to the editor. The city of Wichita as well as Sedgwick County issued official NPHW proclamations. Sedgwick County supporters also hosted an awards presentation and reception for the Doren Fredrickson Lifetime Commitment to Public Health Award, organized a social media campaign and partnered with local college students to organize on-campus NPHW activities. ![Figure29](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F29.medium.gif) [Figure29](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F29) Students with the Public Health Alliance at the University of Illinois at Chicago host their We are Public Health Fair on campus. The University of Kansas Medical Center observed NPHW with lectures on mental health myths and misconceptions, guns and public health, and sexual health among high school students. The center also hosted a viewing of “No Mas Bebes,” a documentary about a group of Mexican immigrant women who were sterilized while giving birth at Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Medical center faculty also presented Kansas Public Health Grand Rounds on preventing pregnancy and long-acting reversible contraceptives. ## KENTUCKY The nation’s opioid overdose and heroin abuse epidemic were among the topics highlighted during National Public Health Week at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. The university’s School of Public Health and Information Sciences Student Council and partner groups hosted a panel discussion on opioid and heroin abuse with representatives from the Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition, the Louisville Metro Police Department Narcotics Division and the Building Resiliency in Campus Community Coalition. During the event, interested students were trained on how to use naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Other NPHW activities included an Instagram contest in which participants were encouraged to submit photos illustrating public health and NPHW themes; a panel of public health alumni discussing their work post-graduation; a This is Public Health booth on campus offering information about public health; and a lunch-and-learn event with Brandy Kelly Pryor, PhD, director of the Center for Health Equity at the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness. ![Figure30](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F30.medium.gif) [Figure30](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F30) The Kansas Public Health Association celebrated NPHW in conjunction with the University of Kansas Medical Center, Sedgwick County and Johnson County. ![Figure31](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F31.medium.gif) [Figure31](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F31) Master of Public Health students and faculty at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, display their capstone projects and scholarly work. ## LOUISIANA The Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans observed National Public Health Week with a workshop on the dangers of lead in the environment for a group of older members of the United Houma Nation in Houma, Louisiana. The workshop, which was part of a larger disaster preparedness program, covered topics such as historic and modern uses of lead, human exposure routes, negative health effects and harmful lead exposures. Workshop organizers also showed attendees how to navigate online lead resources, with many attendees commenting that they would share the new information with their families and neighbors. ## MARYLAND At the University of Maryland-Baltimore, medical and public health students kicked off National Public Health Week by preparing a healthy breakfast for residents at the local Ronald McDonald House, which provides a place to stay for seriously ill children and their families. Students, faculty, staff and community members were also invited to join public health and nursing students in an NPHW photo session. On Tuesday of NPHW, the University of Maryland-College Park School of Public Health and the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health hosted poster sessions and panel discussions about recent advances in public health, ongoing research opportunities and the potential for new collaborations. The Community Public Health Nursing Program also hosted a viewing of “Resistance,” a documentary about antibiotic resistance. On Wednesday of NPHW, public health and nursing students joined community members in a walk around west Baltimore, with a goal of encouraging participants to join the movement to create the healthiest nation in one generation. On Thursday, students were invited to take part in a healthy eating workshop with a local anti-hunger organization. To end the NPHW activities, students hosted a “Got Public Health?” booth in the University of Maryland Medical Center cafeteria, offering information on how to access preparedness tips and the latest health updates and alerts. The Howard County Health Department in Columbia, Maryland, recognized National Public Health Week with its health expo, which had a theme of “Public Health Matters: Public Health is Your Health.” To highlight the health department’s many services, programs and partnerships, the expo featured 18 informational tables with interactive activities on topics such as emergency preparedness, CPR, environmental health, Zika, telehealth and overdose response. Attendees could also take advantage of free HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia testing; smokers could be tested for carbon monoxide; and young attendees could receive newly required school vaccinations. More than 250 people attended the event, which opened with remarks from county leaders, including Maura Rossman, MD, health officer for Howard County. ![Figure32](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F32.medium.gif) [Figure32](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F32) The University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences Student Council hosts a panel on heroin and prescription opioid abuse on April 6. Photo by Tom Fougerousse, courtesy University of Louisville ![Figure33](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F33.medium.gif) [Figure33](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F33) Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine hosts a workshop on the dangers of lead in the environment, part of a disaster preparedness education program, to a group of seniors with the United Houma Nation in Houma, Louisiana. ![Figure34](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F34.medium.gif) [Figure34](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F34) As part of NPHW, Longwood Dental group in Brookline, Massachusetts, offered free dental cleanings, fillings and extractions to 60 people on April 2. ![Figure35](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F35.medium.gif) [Figure35](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F35) Brookline, Massachusetts, students display their work on the environmental impact of disposable plastic utensil overuse. The students proposed more sustainable alternatives. In Leonardtown, Maryland, the St. Mary’s County Health Department celebrated National Public Health Week with an intra-agency election for a local public health champion. Nominations were submitted for a community partner who had demonstrated excellent service and partnership in promoting community health. The winner was the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, which was honored for its work to provide naloxone training to law enforcement officials and community members. Naloxone is a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. According to the health department, naloxone has saved the lives of 22 county residents. The sheriff’s office is also a member of the Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership coalition, which works to address youth tobacco and alcohol use through retailer inspections and education. In addition to the public health champion honor, the Board of County Commissioners issued a proclamation in recognition of NPHW. ## MASSACHUSETTS The Longwood Dental Group in Brookline, Massachusetts, recognized National Public Health Week with its third annual free dentistry event. During the event, 60 patients received free extractions, fillings and cleanings. The Brookline Health Department in Brookline, Massachusetts, and its many partners observed National Public Health Week with a wide variety of community events. The week began with a Youth Climate Adaptation Challenge at a local school, where students were encouraged to present new ideas for addressing climate change challenges. A local dental clinic offered residents without access to dental care one free cleaning, filling or extraction. An area audiologist discussed the challenges of hearing loss and adaptive technologies at the Brookline Senior Center. Brookline women attended a Girls Night Out event where tap dancers, local authors, a musical theater performer and local storyteller entertained them. Brookline High School students kicked off a “Text Less/Live More” campaign. Other NPHW activities included a presentation on foraging for edible and medicinal plants; a presentation on the opioid abuse crisis in Massachusetts; and information on how to keep bats, raccoons and other animals away from homes and yards. ![Figure36](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F36.medium.gif) [Figure36](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F36) Public health graduate students and Cambridge Public Health Department staff attended a “Real World Public Health” event on April 6. The symposium included workshops and a keynote address. Photo by Josh Levin, courtesy Cambridge Public Health Department ![Figure37](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F37.medium.gif) [Figure37](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F37) Staff at the Howard County Health Department in Columbia, Maryland, pose for a photo during a health expo at a local mall. The expo had a theme of “Public Health Matters — Public Health is Your Health.” ![Figure38](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F38.medium.gif) [Figure38](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F38) St. Mary’s County Health Department in Maryland named the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office the 2016 Public Health Champion for saving 22 lives via naloxone administration. ![Figure39](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F39.medium.gif) [Figure39](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F39) University of Maryland-Baltimore students participated in a variety of National Public Health Week activities, including preparing a health breakfast for Ronald McDonald House residents, screening a documentary and hosting a “Join the Movement” walk. Photo by Oriyomi Dawodu, courtesy University of Maryland School of Medicine The Cambridge Public Health Department in Cambridge, Massachusetts, celebrated National Public Health Week with its 13th annual symposium for public health graduate students and a poster gallery at Cambridge City Hall detailing the city’s new health priorities. The Real World Public Health Symposium welcomed 45 students from local schools of public health who took part in interactive workshops, a career panel and a networking lunch. Symposium topics covered communication strategies for addressing the opioid abuse epidemic, environmental health and the role of fatherhood in public health. The symposium concluded with a keynote address from APHA member Monica Bharel, MD, MPH, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. ![Figure40](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F40.medium.gif) [Figure40](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F40) Vernice Davis Anthony, third from right, is honored as the 2016 National Public Health Week Michigan Pillar of Public Health by the APHA Black Caucus of Health Workers on April 7 at the University of Michigan Detroit Center. Photo courtesy Breanna Garvin ![Figure41](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F41.medium.gif) [Figure41](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F41) The Public Health Student Organization at Wayne State University in Detroit volunteers at Gleaners Food Bank on April 9 to cap off its National Public Health Week events. Healthy eating and physical activity were the focus of National Public Health Week events at the West Springfield Health Department in West Springfield, Massachusetts. During its Healthy Dining Week, the health department partnered with its Mass in Motion team, a statewide campaign to promote healthy eating and active living, as well as local restaurants to promote healthy meals. Each restaurant selected a menu item that was low in fat, salt or carbohydrates to promote in posters, articles and on social media. The health agency also celebrated National Walking Day on Wednesday of NPHW with a short afternoon walk. Other NPHW events included a legislative breakfast highlighting the new County Health Rankings as well as participation in a Western Massachusetts Health Equity Network training seminar. ## MICHIGAN In Allendale, Michigan, Grand Valley State University celebrated National Public Health Week with a walk inspired by the TV show “The Amazing Race.” Starting at the campus clock tower, participants received four clues to lead them to different public health-related resources on campus. They were led to a dining hall to make healthy food choices, an athletic center for a quick workout, the student counseling center and the campus bike rental office. Participants were also encouraged to donate in support of residents impacted by the Flint drinking water crisis. ![Figure42](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F42.medium.gif) [Figure42](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F42) Clay County Public Health Center staff in Liberty, Missouri, pass out healthy snacks to celebrate National Walking Day. ![Figure43](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F43.medium.gif) [Figure43](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F43) Macalester College students celebrate their second-place win at the Undergraduate Public Health Scholar Bowl at Saint Louis University. The Public Health Student Organization at Wayne State University in Detroit, organized a week of events for National Public Health Week. In collaboration with the Campus Health Center, students hosted an informational event about health care and wellness services available to students. A yoga session followed the event. On Thursday of NPHW, APHA member Leseliey Welch, MPH, MBA, deputy director of the Detroit Health Department, spoke about health disparities and residential segregation in Detroit in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement. Other NPHW activities included a public health mixer night for faculty and students as well as volunteering at a local food bank. The APHA Black Caucus of Health Workers used National Public Health Week as an opportunity to honor Vernice Davis Anthony, MPH, as its 2016 NPHW Michigan Pillar of Public Health during an event at the University of Michigan Detroit Center in Detroit. Among her many public health roles, Anthony previously served as director of the Michigan Department of Public Health, which was later consolidated into the Michigan Department of Community Health. Under her leadership, Michigan’s infant mortality rates hit a historic low. Anthony currently serves as president and CEO of the Greater Detroit Area Health Council. During the event honoring her service to public health, Anthony received a congratulatory certificate from U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., a certificate from the office of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, congratulatory letters from APHA and the University of Michigan School of Public Health and an award plaque from the APHA Black Caucus of Health Workers, among other honors. ## MINNESOTA The Minnesota Public Health Association launched National Public Health Week celebrations with its fourth annual State of Public Health forum, which was coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Health and co-sponsored by the APHA Affiliate, the Local Public Health Association of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. More than 100 people attended the forum, which included information on APHA’s Generation Public Health campaign and its movement to create the healthiest nation in one generation as well as a keynote address from state Health Commissioner and APHA member Ed Ehlinger, MD, MSPH, who presented the 2016 State of Public Health address. Ehlinger then moderated a panel discussion on health equity in action. Forum participants also broke into small groups to develop talking points on family paid leave, gun violence and climate change. The event concluded with remarks from APHA member John Finnegan, PhD, dean of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. The University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis, Minnesota, kicked off National Public Health Week with a student Diversity Matters retreat, where students engaged in a variety of challenging conversations. Taste Diversity, the school’s annual cultural event, also took place during NPHW and featured Vietnamese food. Students took part in a Mentor Program Appreciation Dinner, a blood drive, a research day and a screening of “On Beauty,” a film about redefining beauty norms. The week ended with a health disparities roundtable on “Discrimination in Healthcare: What Can Be Done?” Nearly 400 students, faculty, staff, community members and alumni attended the week of events. ![Figure44](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F44.medium.gif) [Figure44](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F44) Students at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, brave cold temperatures to host an "Amazing Race" style health challenge on campus. ## MISSOURI The Clay County Public Health Center in Liberty, Missouri, began its National Public Health Week celebrations with informational displays about its programs and services. To coordinate with National Walking Day on April 6, staff passed out oranges and information about healthy eating. In addition, the center honored its many volunteers at a special luncheon. Thirteen teams of undergraduate public health students from across the country took part in the 2016 Public Health Scholar Bowl at Saint Louis University’s College for Public Health and Social Justice in St. Louis. A record number of teams took part in the fourth annual scholar bowl, which took place the weekend of National Public Health Week and offered prizes of up to $1,000 in a quiz bowl competition and case study challenge. First place in this year’s case study challenge, which focused on sleep health, went to the team from George Washington University, while first place in the quiz bowl portion went to the team from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. ![Figure45](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F45.medium.gif) [Figure45](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F45) Saint Louis University‘s Lions Club holds a St. Louis Public Health Fair with booths, free health screenings and speakers. ![Figure46](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F46.medium.gif) [Figure46](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F46) At the Washington University in St. Louis Brown School of Social Work during NPHW, a student shares what public health means to her. ![Figure47](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F47.medium.gif) [Figure47](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F47) The West Springfield Health Department gears up for a short stroll on National Walking Day during NPHW in West Springfield, Massachusetts. ![Figure48](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F48.medium.gif) [Figure48](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F48) U.S. Public Health Service members talk with Campbell University students at an interprofessional event in Buies Creek, North Carolina. ![Figure49](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F49.medium.gif) [Figure49](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F49) University of North Carolina-Charlotte public health students participate in a FitFair with games to encourage physical activity. Also in St. Louis, the Saint Louis University Lions Club organized the first St. Louis Public Health Fair in honor of National Public Health Week. The fair offered a variety of health-related activities, health screenings, speakers and a research symposium. For example, attendees could take advantage of a free yoga session and glaucoma screenings, listen to speakers on topics such as maternal malnutrition and health policy, and learn about research being conducted by university students and faculty. Free healthy snacks were offered throughout the day. More than 800 people attended the public health fair. At Washington University in St. Louis, students celebrated National Public Health Week with a variety of educational and service-oriented events. Advocacy and Learning for Public Health Action, a student group within the Brown School of Social Work, highlighted five during the week: food security, gun violence, Medicaid, global health and mental health. Activities included a campus-wide shoe drive benefiting refugees; a presentation on Medicaid expansion; a screening of “The Trials of Spring,” a documentary about women in the Middle East; a symposium on gun violence; a food donation drive; and a fundraising raffle for the Delta Omega Gamma Sigma chapter, an honorary public health society. The week of events ended with a This Is Public Health panel, which featured six faculty members who spoke with current and prospective students about their career arcs and research interests and offered advice to emerging public health professionals. ## NEVADA The Nevada Public Health Association and its many partners celebrated National Public Health Week with activities across the state, kicking off with an NPHW proclamation from Gov. Brian Sandoval. In southern Nevada, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas School of Community Health Sciences and the Public Health Student Association observed NPHW with a Public Health Fair and Health Science Career Fair. The Northern Nevada chapter of the APHA Affiliate organized a variety of NPHW events in partnership with local public health agencies, including a food bank donation drive, a blood donation drive and screenings of two films — “Food Chains: The Revolution in America’s Fields” and “‘Ike: Knowledge is Everywhere,” a documentary about education in Hawaii — to highlight social determinants of health. ## NEW HAMPSHIRE In Durham, New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Public Health Association partnered with the University of New Hampshire’s Student Organization for Health Leadership to host a student public health trivia night. During the event, seven teams competed to answer 31 public health-related questions on topics such as public health history, communicable and chronic diseases and emerging public health concerns. Prizes included T-shirts, sweatshirts and gift certificates to local restaurants. ![Figure50](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F50.medium.gif) [Figure50](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F50) Some of the more than 100 Zumbathon participants at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, enjoy their exercise. At the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice in Lebanon, New Hampshire, National Public Health Week began with a screening of “Fed Up,” a documentary about the food industry and obesity. The film event ended with an open house at which institute faculty discussed their many areas of research, such as electronic cigarette use and advanced care planning. Public health and health care research students organized a series of NPHW exercises designed to explore the culture of shame and blame associated with substance abuse disorders. Students heard from Bill Walczak, founder of the Codman Square Health Center, a community health center in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston that serves more than 22,000 patients every year. The NPHW activities ended with a challenge urging the greater Dartmouth College community to take actions that have a positive impact on public health. ## NEW JERSEY Montclair State University’s Public Health Program in Montclair, New Jersey, kicked off National Public Health Week with a campus-wide event on “Racism, Criminal Justice and Public Health.” The event offered a history of the social construction of race and featured a panel of legal and media experts. About 200 students and professionals attended the NPHW event, which also covered topics such as racism in the criminal justice system, the impact of mass incarceration on communities of color and how the criminal justice system has exacerbated public health problems in communities of color. In Piscataway, New Jersey, the Rutgers School of Public Health held its 21st Annual New Jersey Public Health Symposium. With a theme of “A Healthy Nation Starts with Healthy Children,” the symposium addressed the many ways in which public health systems support healthy living among children. Jennifer Ng’andu, senior program officer with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, gave the keynote address, which focused on initiatives aimed at improving children’s health. Other presentations at the symposium focused on local school health funding as well as school-based activities aimed at preventing childhood obesity. The event also featured poster presentations from agencies across the state and from public health students and professionals. More than 175 public health professionals and students attended the symposium. ## NEW MEXICO National Public Health Week events at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico, began with a campus health fair that featured nine community organizations, including the local office of the New Mexico Department of Health. More than 100 people visited the fair and took part in its activities, such as a chance to don special goggles that simulate the effects of alcohol impairment while driving a go-cart. Monday of NPHW also included a health poster showcase, where students presented information on topics such as obesity, hydration for athletes, tobacco use, diabetes and immunizations. More than 150 people attended, including high school students, faculty and university students. ![Figure51](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F51.medium.gif) [Figure51](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F51) A public health worker panel shares career advice with North Dakota State University public health students in Fargo, North Dakota. ![Figure52](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F52.medium.gif) [Figure52](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F52) Grand Forks Public Health in Grand Forks, North Dakota, hosts a health walk with city Mayor Michael Brown. ![Figure53](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F53.medium.gif) [Figure53](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F53) Students in Lebanon, New Hampshire, learn about the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice’s role in improving health. ![Figure54](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F54.medium.gif) [Figure54](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F54) University of New Hampshire Student Organization for Health Leadership students helped organize a student public health trivia night in Durham, New Hampshire. ## NEW YORK The National Association for Health and Fitness in Albany, New York, celebrated National Public Health Week with a community health fair at a nearby church. To promote the event, organizers distributed fliers, put an insert in the church bulletin, spread the word on social media and even appeared on a local TV news show. During the health fair, organizers conducted more than 125 blood pressure checks, 25 CPR trainings, 45 body mass index screenings and 35 chair massages. Fair attendees could talk with a registered dietitian, pick up a radon testing kit, receive healthy cooking information, take part in prescription and immunization reviews with local pharmacy students, and pick up information on childhood cancer, oral health and the local farmers market. At the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions in Buffalo, New York, National Public Health Week lasted throughout the month of April. A featured event was APHA’s 1 Billion Steps Challenge — more than 1,000 people from the university community participated and logged more than 16 million steps in just one week. The university’s Community for Global Health Equity and the Office of Global Health Initiatives sponsored the Third Annual Western New York Refugee Health Summit, which brings together practitioners, researchers, policymakers and representatives from resettlement and refugee communities to explore ways to provide culturally engaged health care to refugees. NPHW featured two annual lectures on campus: The Glenn E. Gresham Visiting Professor Lecture featured Steven George, PhD, PT, director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the University of Florida. The Saxon Graham Lecture welcomed Linda Van Horn, PhD, RD, professor in the Division of Nutrition at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who spoke on “Diet Data and Disease: Truth or Consequence.” Also in Buffalo, the university’s Dietetic Internship program hosted a staircase climb each Thursday in April. The Community Health and Health Behavior Graduate Student Association welcomed more than 30 students, faculty and community members for a viewing of the film “Fed Up,” a documentary about the food industry, and a related panel discussion. In recognition of NPHW, the Master of Public Health Program hosted four public health seminars through the month of April on topics such as teens and electronic cigarettes, public health stories from the field, clinical trials in public health and HIV surveillance. Overall, the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions hosted more than 30 NPHW events in April. Adelphi University in Garden City, New York, launched its National Public Health Week activities with its first Adelphi University TEDxTalk. The event featured presentations on intimate partner violence against women of color, personal experiences of living with depression and a local resource hub for domestic and sexual violence. Also during NPHW, the university’s Health Services Unit and partners sponsored the Annual Adelphi Health Fair. During the fair, MPH students tested attendees’ knowledge of health and public health, while nursing students offered information on diet, nutrition and diabetes. A centerpiece of the fair was a replica of a human colon that people could walk through to learn about colon health. On Thursday of NPHW, MPH faculty held a panel discussion on “Place Matters: Is Inequity Making Us Sick?” and on Friday, a handful of university programs and the American Cancer Society hosted Relay for Life, where more than $69,000 was raised. Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, celebrated National Public Health Week with its Fourth Annual National Public Health Week Event Series, which included 11 events on topics such as immigrant health, veteran health, sexual health, Medicaid reform, healthy eating, developmental disabilities, exercise and outreach to Hispanic communities. More than 40 graduate and undergraduate students, together with faculty and administrators, organized the series, which attracted hundreds of community members. The series included panel presentations, interactive workshops, a student film competition on Healthy People 2020, a health fair offering free health screenings and healthy cooking demonstrations, a campus-wide health promotion campaign and a dinner celebrating local health equity efforts. APHA member Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, the Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University, gave a keynote address on the politics of the food and soda industry. Also during NPHW, the university’s Society of Public Health Advocates engaged fellow students in conversations about sexual consent and preconception health. Worldwide Community First Responder Inc. of Nanuet, New York, teamed up with the department store Lord & Taylor to hold a community health screening event at a local mall during National Public Health Week. During the event, the charitable organization provided free blood pressure screenings as well as health education on maintaining a healthy weight, getting physically active, eating less sodium, drinking alcohol in moderation and taking prescribed medications as directed. In Rochester, New York, the Nazareth College Public Health Program organized a variety of events for its first National Public Health Awareness Week. Among the many activities was a campus screening of the film “Contagion,” following by a discussion about social upheaval during disease epidemics; a showing of a TED Talk on the upstream determinants of poor health; and a lunch with a local nonprofit director who spoke about community gardens as a catalyst for social change. With help from public health students, campus food service staff developed a signature NPHW healthy plate and adorned cafeteria tables with information on how much activity is necessary to burn off common cafeteria foods. Students also collected eyeglass donations in partnership with the Lions Club, participated in a campus research conference and sorted donations of unused medical supplies to be sent to national and global sites in need. ![Figure55](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F55.medium.gif) [Figure55](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F55) A Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health employee gives blood during an NPHW blood drive in Carson City, Nevada. ![Figure56](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F56.medium.gif) [Figure56](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F56) Adelphi University students and staff enjoyed a health fair with over 70 community vendors and health providers in Garden City, New York. ![Figure57](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F57.medium.gif) [Figure57](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F57) The National Association for Health and Fitness in Albany, New York, holds a community health fair during NPHW. ![Figure58](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F58.medium.gif) [Figure58](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F58) University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions students viewed the film “Fed Up” about U.S. obesity. In observance of National Public Health Week in Syracuse, New York, the State University of New York Upstate Medical University provided health information to employees, students, volunteers, patients and visitors. Throughout the week, NPHW organizers offered campus sessions on stress, smoking cessation, prevention, screening guidelines, healthy eating, self-care and wellness. A photo booth was set up on both of the university’s campuses in which participants were encouraged to express how they stay healthy. On the downtown campus, a traveling public health cart visited patient floors with information on stress management and tips on staying healthy. On the university’s community campus, informational tables offered information on organ donation, heart disease, sleep disorders and more. Under the direction of the university’s Center for Civic Engagement, public health, medical and physical therapy students developed a children’s health activity at a local community center, where children made superhero masks and received education in healthy eating, fitness, stress management and teamwork. Also in celebration of NPHW, the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion at Syracuse University organized a mile-long walk and lecture. ## NORTH CAROLINA At the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina, National Public Health Week activities included a FitFair that welcomed more than 40 visitors. Attendees could participate in games, enjoy healthy food and learn about creative new ways to exercise. Funds raised at the fair were donated to Right To Play, a nonprofit organization that uses play to educate and empower disadvantaged children around the world. The fair featured six games. To take part, attendees had to complete a set of exercises, such as jumping jacks and squats. ![Figure59](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F59.medium.gif) [Figure59](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F59) Worldwide Community First Responder Inc. holds free community health screenings at a West Nyack, New York, mall. Also in Charlotte, North Carolina, the University of North Carolina-Charlotte’s Department of Public Health Sciences, in partnership with the Graduate Public Health Association and Undergraduate Public Health Association, sponsored a full week of National Public Health Week activities. The graduate association hosted its second National Public Health Week Health Fair, which featured 20 vendors representing primary care providers, social justice organizations and more. More than 200 people attended the fair, which included an outdoor obstacle course to promote physical activity. On Thursday of NPHW, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and the College of Health and Human Services sponsored a keynote address with Penny Gordon-Larsen, PhD, professor of nutrition and head of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Obesity and Environment Program. On Friday of NPHW, Master of Public Health students volunteered at and attended the North Carolina Breathe Conference, which focuses on air quality and its health impacts. Later that day, the Beta Phi Chapter of Delta Omega, the national public health honorary society, held its annual induction ceremony. Other NPHW activities on campus included a film festival, a lecture and panel discussion on health needs in rural India and an induction ceremony for the Upsilon Pi Delta health administration honor society. In Greenville, North Carolina, East Carolina University celebrated National Public Health Week with a variety of events designed to highlight the role of public health in everyday life. On Monday of NPHW, the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center offered students a sample of spaghetti squash and marinara sauce as well as a recipe for the meal and tips for cooking healthier at home. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Graduate Student Public Health Organization and Eta Sigma Gamma, an undergraduate health honors society, teamed up to host a table on campus that encouraged visitors to sign APHA’s Generation Public Health pledge. Those who signed the pledge to help create a healthier nation received a salmon-colored pin to represent their personal public health pledge. Also on Wednesday, students hosted a campus blood drive, while members of the Campus Recreation and Wellness team offered students a ride to class in a public health trivia golf cart. ![Figure60](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F60.medium.gif) [Figure60](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F60) State University of New York Upstate Medical University promotes healthy behaviors with a photo booth in Syracuse, New York. ![Figure61](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F61.medium.gif) [Figure61](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F61) Students at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York, engage at an NPHW health fair. ![Figure62](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F62.medium.gif) [Figure62](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F62) The City of Cincinnati Health Department shares health and wellness information at a booth in the city’s Washington Park. ![Figure63](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F63.medium.gif) [Figure63](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F63) Ohio State University students celebrate at an NPHW trivia night after a trip to the Public Health Scholar Bowl in St. Louis. ![Figure64](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F64.medium.gif) [Figure64](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F64) The Eugene Symphony of Eugene, Oregon, plays music during a Lane County Public Health open house event for NPHW. On Thursday in Greenville, the Department of Health Education and Promotion hosted its second Public Health Research Symposium, and on Friday, more than 100 students and staff joined a Zumbathon event that promoted physical activity. The Department of Health Education and Promotion also held a contest encouraging students to develop a public service announcement that depicted examples of public health. During the week, many students took selfies while wearing a This Is Public Health sticker and uploaded them to social media with the hashtag #ECUPublicHealth. ## NORTH DAKOTA In Fargo, North Dakota, National Public Health Week events at North Dakota State University kicked off with the inaugural American Indian Public Health Day, which featured opening remarks from APHA member Donald Warne, MD, MPH, chair of the Department of Public Health, and Scott Davis, executive director of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission. Event attendees listened to traditional American Indian music, discussed relevant public health issues and enjoyed a traditional meal. Also during NPHW, the university’s Public Health Association hosted a panel of practicing public health professionals, who offered career advice to students. Graduate public health students also set up a table at a campus event that welcomed about 200 high school students and graduates to learn more about careers in science. Visitors to the booth took part in a mock disease outbreak investigation. ![Figure65](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F65.medium.gif) [Figure65](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F65) Following its annual public health recognition awards, the Washington County Department of Health and Human Services in Hillsboro, Oregon, hosts an educational display. The Grand Forks Public Health Department in Grand Forks, North Dakota, began National Public Health Week with an official declaration from the mayor’s office. Also on Monday, public health workers attended a Grand Forks City Council meeting, where APHA member Debbie Swanson, MS, RN, director of the health department, spoke about the importance of physical activity and debuted a video of various community organizations dancing to the theme of first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign. The video was also posted to the health department’s Facebook page, where as of mid-April, it had received more than 7,200 views. Tuesday of NPHW, department staff were invited to a viewing of “The Raising of America,” a documentary series about early childhood development. On Wednesday, the agency hosted a walk around the downtown area to highlight a new walkable route known as Downtown 2500, which a local news channel covered. Throughout the week, the health department encouraged people to take a “healthy selfie” of themselves taking part in healthy activities and post the images to the department’s social media sites. The winning photographer received a FitBit Charge. ## OHIO The City of Cincinnati Health Department in Cincinnati, Ohio, celebrated National Public Health Week at its annual event in the city’s Washington Park. The health agency set up a number of booths offering information on maternal and child health, reproductive health, body mass index screenings, sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy testing, Medicaid and Medicare enrollment, pool safety, food safety, lead poisoning prevention, tobacco cessation and more. The event also included Zumba and hip-hop demonstrations as well as a performance from a nationally recognized double Dutch jump rope team. Overall, the health department’s public health nurses provided 11 body mass index screenings and 13 blood pressure checks and referrals, while the School and Adolescent Health team conducted 29 fitness challenges. About 200 community members attended the event. In Columbus, Ohio, Franklin County Public Health celebrated National Public Health Week by participating in the Ohio State University College of Public Health’s Diversity in Public Health Photo Contest, which was organized by the college’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. To take part in the contest, participants showed how they were addressing homelessness or barriers to affordable, nutritious food. Franklin County Public Health submitted a photo from its monthly Community Health Action Team produce market that takes place at a local fire department. The photo won the contest’s People’s Choice Award and was displayed on campus. The Ohio State University’s College of Public Health kicked off NPHW with a screening of “Poindexter: Faithful Forgotten Best Friends,” a documentary about a group that provides food and veterinary care to people who are homeless. Also during NPHW, students, faculty and staff tested their public health knowledge at a PHun Facts Trivia Night. APHA member Matthew Myers, JD, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, gave the NPHW keynote lecture. The week ended with the fourth annual Diversity in Public Health Summit, which was hosted by the Multicultural Public Health Student Association and had a theme of “Homelessness: Giving a Voice to an Underserved Population.” At each of the NPHW events, organizers collected food donations for a local food bank. ![Figure66](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F66.medium.gif) [Figure66](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F66) Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital holds a Health for Your Wealth Expo to address the well-being of Lincoln County, Oregon, residents. ![Figure67](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F67.medium.gif) [Figure67](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F67) Members of Oregon State University’s Health Club give away free healthy snacks in Corvallis, Oregon, during NPHW. Photo courtesy Catherine Huang ![Figure68](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F68.medium.gif) [Figure68](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F68) Drexel University School of Public Health students host a Tobacco-Free Health Fair in Philadelphia for NPHW. ![Figure69](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F69.medium.gif) [Figure69](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F69) Students at the Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, Pennsylvania, promote a lunchtime walk during NPHW. ## OREGON In Corvallis, Oregon, public health students at Oregon State University observed National Public Health Week with a healthy snack giveaway, a cigarette butt clean-up, and a viewing of “Dropout Nation,” an investigation into high school dropout rates in the U.S. About 275 students, community members and campus staff attended the events, and participants collected about 1,000 cigarette butts. Also during NPHW, the university’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences hosted a screening of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services health equity forum on “Accelerating Health Equity for the Nation.” Lane County Public Health in Eugene, Oregon, celebrated National Public Health Week with an open house event to honor community members who help make Lane County a healthier place. Staff from each of the agency’s divisions set up interactive displays with information on public health programs and services. Attendees could also peruse staff-created art projects that showcased public health history in the U.S. The event wrapped up with a ceremony honoring Excellence in Public Health Award nominees. The Washington County Department of Health and Human Services in Hillsboro, Oregon, held its 14th Annual Public Health Recognition Awards during National Public Health Week. This year’s honorees were recognized for work to improve the health of Washington County youth, efforts to provide nutritional and emotional support to homeless youth, work to educate high school students about self-harm and suicide and efforts to help residents get prepared for emergencies. Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport, Oregon, observed National Public Health Week with a Health for Your Wealth Expo, which welcomed about 225 attendees. The free event offered a variety of local exhibits, door prizes, activities and demonstrations, including bone density screenings, spinal and posture screenings, blood pressure screenings, healthy food samples, fitness information and vaccine consultations. ## PENNSYLVANIA In Philadelphia, Public Health in Action, a student-led advocacy initiative with the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, used National Public Health Week to push for a tobacco-free campus. With support from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, the group held a Tobacco-Free Health Fair with giveaways and information on cessation resources. Fair attendees were also encouraged to add their signature to an issue brief detailing the rationale for a tobacco-free campus policy. By the end of the event, students had collected 75 new signatures. The Public Health Student Association at Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, Pennsylvania, celebrated National Public Health Week with a full schedule of events. On Monday, public health students handed out information outside the cafeteria and collected suggestions for making the campus a healthier environment for all. On Tuesday, the association encouraged fellow students to take APHA’s Generation Public Health pledge to help create a healthier nation. Wednesday focused on environmental health, with public health students teaming up with the college’s Community Garden Club to prepare seedlings for planting. On Thursday, public health students organized a one-mile walk for students, faculty and staff. The week ended with a lecture on the impact of economic instability on health care and the importance of affordable public health interventions. ## SOUTH CAROLINA The Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina, kicked off National Public Health Week with a Public Health Fair and Red Cross blood donation drive. The fair featured more than two dozen public health agencies, nonprofit groups and university departments, and about 40 attendees donated blood. On Tuesday of NPHW, the Colleges of Pharmacy and Nursing offered tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis immunizations, collected unwanted prescription drugs for proper disposal and gave out information on sun damage. Tuesday also featured a Q&A with a surgeon on gun violence and prevention at a local restaurant. On Wednesday, APHA member Joseph Pearson, DrPH, MS, director of operations at the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health, gave a keynote address on “How Can We Make South Carolina the Healthiest State by 2030?” On Thursday of NPHW, the Colleges of Dental Medicine and Health Professions hosted an informational lunch on oral health and public health, while on Friday, the Colleges of Medicine and Graduate Studies hosted an informational lunch on men’s health issues as well as outreach to elementary school students. The week of events ended on Saturday with a community service event to pick up litter around the campus and community. ![Figure70](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F70.medium.gif) [Figure70](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F70) South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Upstate Region staff greet a furry friend during an open house in Greenville, South Carolina. ![Figure71](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F71.medium.gif) [Figure71](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F71) Tennessee Public Health Association members celebrate the signing of an NPHW proclamation in Robertson County. ![Figure72](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F72.medium.gif) [Figure72](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F72) The University of Memphis Public Health Student Association organizes a juicing table to promote better nutrition. ![Figure73](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F73.medium.gif) [Figure73](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F73) A University of Texas at El Paso student conducts a screening during a health fair held at the Mexican Consulate during NPHW. ![Figure74](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F74.medium.gif) [Figure74](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F74) It’s Time Texas organized health and wellness events across the state to celebrate Healthy Texas Week as part of NPHW. In Greenville, South Carolina, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Upstate Public Health Region celebrated National Public Health Week with festivities across 11 counties. Activities included lunch-and-learn sessions, guest speakers, healthy lunch demonstrations and more. A highlight of the week was an open house event at the agency’s headquarters. During the open house, which showcased the agency’s many programs and services, attendees could take advantage of free blood pressure checks as well as watch healthy food demonstrations. Among the event’s attendees was Catherine Heigel, JD, director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. ## TENNESSEE In Tennessee, the Tennessee Public Health Association celebrated National Public Health Week with its annual Visionary Awards, which honors people or groups that work to improve health throughout the state. This year’s winners were Judge Duane Slone, who worked to implement an education and transportation program for county jail inmates interested in voluntary long-acting reversible contraception programs, and Alex Windings, who worked with community partners to implement strategies to reduce alcohol, tobacco and prescription drug abuse among youth. The final Visionary Award winner was the Shelby County Health Department tuberculosis program, which worked to address a tuberculosis outbreak among people who are homeless. Also during NPHW, the Tennessee Public Health Association hosted a Student Video Contest, which challenges public health students to create a two-minute video based on this year’s NPHW theme of “Healthiest Nation 2030.” The 2016 video contest winners hailed from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. At the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee, students taking an Introduction to Public Health course celebrated National Public Health Week by creating two-minute videos highlighting a major public health concern and possible solutions. Videos focused on topics such as tobacco-free university campuses, Type 1 diabetes, healthy lifestyles among college students and the dangers of texting and driving. Students selected the top two videos, which were then submitted to the Tennessee Public Health Association’s Student Video Contest. One of the student teams won top prize in the statewide contest. The University of Memphis Public Health Student Association in Memphis, Tennessee, began its National Public Health Week events by visiting young patients at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and helping them with craft projects. The second day of NPHW was dedicated to exercise and healthy eating, with a Zumba class in the middle of campus and a juicing table that offered samples and demonstrations. The week ended with a School of Public Health family picnic, where students, faculty and staff celebrated NPHW with healthy food and activity. ## TEXAS In Austin, Texas, It’s Time Texas, a nonprofit group focused on building a healthier Texas, aligned its annual statewide Healthy Texas Week with National Public Health Week. During the event, the organization called on Texans to take to social media with the hashtag #HTW2016 to share photos of healthy activities and win prizes. Organizers also called on businesses and school districts to sign a pledge committing to the health of their students and employees. At the end of the week, pledge submissions collectively impacted more than 600,000 Texas students and workers. Texas Public Health, the student organization at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, began National Public Health Week with a Carnival Kick-Off, which welcomed more than 2,000 students throughout the day with health information, training opportunities, health screenings and giveaways. On Tuesday of NPHW, the student organizations hosted a screening of the film “The Impossible,” about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Thailand, and an interactive panel discussion about climate change and environmental health. NPHW events wrapped up with a Public Health Networking Fair, where students could meet with professionals to learn more about careers in public health. The event reached about 1,500 students. In College Station, Texas, the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health honored its first Public Health Hero during National Public Health Week. The awardee was Trammell Crow, founder of Earth Day Texas, the world’s largest annual public exhibition of green ideas, products and technologies. Other NPHW events organized by the Texas A&M School of Public Health included a guided tour of local walking trails, a showcase of student and faculty research posters, and a screening of “Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria,” followed by a panel discussion on health disparities and inequities faced by the transgender community. The week kicked off with official NPHW proclamations from the cities of College Station and Bryan. On Wednesday of NPHW in College Station, Breeja Larson, an Olympic gold medalist in swimming and a university alumna, kicked off a World Fit Walk Event, a six-week campaign to encourage exercise among youth. On Thursday, students attended a lunch event with alumni who shared career advice and students participated in a Friday blood donation drive. The week wrapped up with the Annual Spring Banquet. ![Figure75](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F75.medium.gif) [Figure75](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F75) Members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Associate Program attend a spring training in Atlanta during NPHW. ![Figure76](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F76.medium.gif) [Figure76](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F76) The Student Public Health Vision Care Association of the University of Houston College of Optometry celebrates NPHW. ![Figure77](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F77.medium.gif) [Figure77](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F77) The Texas Department of State Health Services’ Health Service Region One holds a health fair at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. ![Figure78](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F78.medium.gif) [Figure78](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F78) Olympic swimmer Breeja Larson, right, celebrates NPHW at Texas A&M University’s World Fit Walk Event in College Station, Texas. At the University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, Texas, Students for Public Health organized a variety of National Public Health Week events. The week began with students promoting their NPHW events while handing out free condoms and information on free HIV testing. That same day, Students for Public Health hosted a health fair at the Mexican consulate, providing glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure and electrocardiogram screenings for people without health insurance. Results were given on the spot and referrals were offered for follow-up care. Also during NPHW, students hosted free HIV testing in partnership with a community health clinic. On Thursday of NPHW, students hosted a documentary screening about social justice and on Friday, students gave a second round of presentations at a local farmworker center. Throughout the week, students gathered signatures for APHA’s Generation Public Health pledge. At the University of Houston College of Optometry in Houston, Texas, a number of APHA Vision Care Section members celebrated National Public Health Week with lectures for first-year students on topics such as eye care accessibility for underserved populations and comprehensive medical care for veterans. In addition, the Student Public Health Vision Care Association celebrated NPHW by giving out coloring sheets designed to help fellow students, faculty and staff relieve stress. To wrap up NPHW, students joined the Houston Outreach Medicine, Education and Social Services health fair to assist with vision screenings, patient education and eye care resources for people who are homeless and underserved. In Lubbock, Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services-Health Service Region 1 celebrated National Public Health Week with a variety of events and activities. The week began with an employee appreciation breakfast. Throughout the week, various public health programs organized informational displays and provided educational materials and giveaways. Organizers also sent out daily emails to staff highlighting each of the NPHW themes. Public health fairs were held at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. During the campus fairs, hundreds of students, faculty and staff were offered information on a variety of topics, such as immunizations, tobacco cessation, injury prevention and emergency preparedness. To wrap up the week and highlight the theme of “Give Everyone a Choice of Healthy Food,” the health agency invited the Texas Hunger Initiative and South Plains Food Bank to facilitate a staff discussion on food insecurity in the region. Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, observed National Public Health Week with a number of campus activities, including poster presentations on topics such as Zika and the opioid abuse epidemic. Students also used NPHW to highlight the importance of hydration with healthy beverage options, serving students water infused with fruits and vegetables. To increase awareness around impaired driving, public health students partnered with the campus counseling center and the Baptist Student Ministry to provide education on alcohol consumption and promote safe transportation options. ## UTAH Health education and promotion students at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, celebrated National Public Health Week by raising awareness about public health on campus and promoting available health-related resources. As part of the activities, organizers set up a booth and encouraged fellow students to take pictures holding a poster that read “This is Public Health.” ![Figure79](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F79.medium.gif) [Figure79](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F79) Texas Public Health, a student organization at the University of Texas at Austin, hosts an NPHW carnival. Photo courtesy Jolene Jiang ![Figure80](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F80.medium.gif) [Figure80](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F80) Utah State University Health Education and Promotion students promote a campuswide public health awareness campaign in Logan, Utah. ![Figure81](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F81.medium.gif) [Figure81](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F81) At Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, the Department of Public Health promotes National Public Health Week via information tables. ![Figure82](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F82.medium.gif) [Figure82](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F82) Portsmouth Health Department staff in Portsmouth, Virginia, capture a moment during National Public Health Week. ![Figure83](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F83.medium.gif) [Figure83](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F83) Lake Washington Girls Middle School students in Seattle examine a specimen during a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics Fair focused on public health. ![Figure84](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F84.medium.gif) [Figure84](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F84) University of Wisconsin-Madison students show off herb seeds that can be used to grow healthy food during NPHW. ## VIRGINIA The Department of Public Health at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, celebrated National Public Health Week with informational displays on public health nursing, environmental health, health physics, occupational health and industrial hygiene. Subject matter experts and staff who work on each of the issues were also on-hand to answer questions. In Portsmouth, Virginia, the Portsmouth Health Department began each day of National Public Health Week with a 15-minute walk, using indoor walking paths and stairwells. Participants walked more than 90 minutes throughout the week. Also during NPHW, health department staff volunteered at a local soup kitchen, helping to cook and serve more than 300 healthy meals. In all, staff donated nearly 100 hours of community service. On Thursday of NPHW, department managers hosted a staff appreciation breakfast. Later that day, staff took part in a wellness fair at a local community college, offering blood pressure screenings and information on nutrition, chronic diseases, sexual health and smoking cessation. The week ended with a 30-minute walk led by District Health Director David Chang, MD. ## WASHINGTON The Bastyr University Department of Public Health in Kenmore, Washington, observed National Public Health Week with a series of lunch and evening talks for faculty and staff. Lectures focused on Type 2 diabetes in northern Nicaragua, a history of prevention programming among youth, determinants of population health and case studies in environmental and occupational health in Washington state. In Seattle, students at Lake Washington Girls Middle School observed National Public Health Week during their annual Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics Fair. To prepare, seventh-grade students explored public health topics of interest to them, designed and conducted studies, and finally presented their projects at the fair. Among the topics explored were electronic cigarettes and the media, air quality and public transportation, asthma and air quality, hand-washing, body image and junk food consumption, pets and immunity and texting and driving. In one instance, students contacted 20 local public health schools to inquire about the age of the schools’ water pipes and collected water samples from drinking fountains. Judges who hailed from the University of Washington as well as Public Health — Seattle and King County, provided fair participants with feedback and tips for getting involved in public health issues. ## WASHINGTON DC In Washington, D.C., the Directors of Health Promotion and Education Lupus Education and Awareness for Patients, Professionals and Providers Program hosted a webinar on lupus in recognition of National Public Health Week and National Minority Health Month. The webinar, which focused on diversifying lupus clinical trials, featured Priscilla Pemu, MD, MSCR, FACP, director of clinical trials at the Morehouse School of Medicine Clinical Research Center, and Anca Askanase, MD, MPH, clinical director at the Lupus Center at New York Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Center. The webinar, which was also designed to recognize Health Equity Day on April 5, explored historical barriers to minority participation in clinical trials, strategies for recruiting minorities into clinical trials, and the importance of including women of color in lupus clinical trials. Action on Smoking & Health, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit organization dedicated to tobacco control, observed National Public Health Week by testifying at a D.C. hearing on tobacco and human rights before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a regional body that addresses human rights in the Americas. The event was the first time the commission had heard a presentation on tobacco. Organizers said they hoped the event would spur the commission to include tobacco issues in its reports and work with regional health organizations, such as the Pan American Health Organization. During testimony, many panelists focused on tobacco product marketing aimed at particularly vulnerable groups. ## WISCONSIN The Wisconsin Public Health Association supported a number of National Public Health Week events at universities across the state. At the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse, Wisconsin, community members, students, faculty and career service representatives set up shop at a Public Health Expo to raise awareness about public health and careers in the field. At the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, organizers of a Public Health Expo highlighted the many ways organizations are working to create the healthiest nation in one generation. And at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, students kicked off NPHW by planting their own herb seeds to take home and grow. Geared toward graduate public health students, the event was designed to highlight healthy food access and encouraged participants to eventually use the herbs in nutritious dishes. To help reduce garbage waste, students reused old milk cartons from a local elementary school to plant their seeds. Also in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Diversity Matters: Recruiting Wisconsin’s Future Public Health Workforce project hosted its first Public Health Career and Internship Fair during National Public Health Week. Organized to reach high school and early college-age students and their parents, the fair took place at the University of Wisconsin Zilber School of Public Health and had a superhero theme. During the event, designated public health superheroes working in various sectors across Wisconsin offered internship and career advice and discussed how students can make a difference in their communities by choosing a career in public health. Diversity Matters: Recruiting Wisconsin’s Future Public Health Workforce is a five-year project funded by the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program. ## San Benito County, California, staffers engage local residents in public health San Benito County Public Health Division in Hollister, California, used National Public Health Week as an opportunity to educate residents about the role of public health in the community and ways they can live longer and healthier. The week began with presentations to the City Council and Board of Supervisors in support of NPHW proclamations. Public health workers also displayed a large NPHW banner across the main street of the downtown area and in front of the public health office building. The local health agency penned an article about NPHW and the impact of public health on people’s health, which was published in the local newspaper. ![Figure85](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F85.medium.gif) [Figure85](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F85) Students at a San Benito County, California, school draw on a mural that shows what health means to them. San Benito public health workers developed health messages for each day of NPHW that were emailed to all county employees. The messages touched on topics such as nutrition, physical activity and stress reduction, with titles such as “Mindful Eating Monday” and “Take a Walk Tuesday.” On Friday of NPHW, the daily email message included a collage created with answers from county employees who had responded to a question about what health meant to them. On Monday of NPHW, San Benito public health workers created a “living billboard” dressed as various fruits and vegetables. The workers held up inspirational signs on a busy, downtown corner. Each day of NPHW, nutrition staff visited different schools and engaged students in creating murals that illustrated what health meant to them. The murals were published in the local newspaper. Communicable disease staff used NPHW as a chance to educate local students about health and sexually transmitted diseases, visiting local middle and high schools each day of the week to give presentations. ![Figure86](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F86.medium.gif) [Figure86](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F86) Public health staff in San Benito County, California, launched NPHW by dressing up as fruits, vegetables and other health-related icons and holding up inspirational signs downtown. Businesses got in on the NPHW fun as well. All of the local grocery stores agreed to give out free fruit to kids during NPHW, instead of the usual free cookies. Grocers advertised the NPHW promotion on their social media pages, while San Benito public health workers created promotional signs and posters to display at the grocery stores during NPHW. The week’s activities continued within the department, where workers created a large bulletin board with each staff member posting what they do to stay healthy, along with a photo of their activities in action. ## DC-area association turns its attention to housing in region Healthy housing policy took center stage during the Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association’s National Public Health Week observance. During the week, the APHA Affiliate held a pre-conference workshop on “Housing Policy and Health Equity” to help prepare for the association’s annual meeting in September, which has a theme of “Health Equity: Public Health Issues.” The D.C. Affiliate is beginning to engage more earnestly with the one of the city’s main social determinants of health — housing. ![Figure87](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F87.medium.gif) [Figure87](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F87) At Barry Farm, a Washington, D.C., public housing property, Paulette Matthews says residents should not be displaced during planned redevelopment. The D.C. Affiliate is backing residents. The April 4 National Public Health Week workshop featured a variety of local experts, advocates and activists who work on housing issues. Attendees learned about the effects of stable housing on health; the link between adequate, stable and affordable housing and community health in Maryland; the displacement of Washington, D.C., residents from public housing; opportunities to advocate for affordable and safe housing; and strategies for improving housing opportunities for all residents. Among the action steps that came out of the meeting included a request to D.C. officials to guarantee that a $15 million proposed fund for renovations and repairs in public housing be spent to benefit local residents. In addition, workshop organizers called on local officials to ensure that redevelopment at Barry Farm, D.C.’s largest public housing property, be done without displacing city residents. Finally, the Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association’s Health Equity Committee committed to supporting residents’ demands during meetings with city officials and testifying during budget hearings. ## Colorado students use NPHW to launch environmental health tool Public health students in Colorado celebrated this year’s National Public Health Week with a variety of events on campuses across the state and debuted a new online tool that illustrates the connections between the environment, public health and community development. Graduate students with the Colorado School of Public Health organized events at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. Activities included stress awareness and alleviation, a bike-to-campus day, documentary screenings and discussions on infant mortality among black newborns, career panels, fun runs, yoga, sushi-making demonstrations, CPR certification and volunteering at a local health fair. ![Figure88](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F88.medium.gif) [Figure88](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F88) Students at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado, share information at a NPHW kickoff event. Events officially began the Saturday prior to NPHW with a tree planting in Aurora. On Monday of NPHW, each of the three campuses held a kickoff event, with students hosting interactive booths that asked visitors to define what public health meant to them and urging them to sign APHA’s pledge to help create the healthiest nation in one generation. On the Fort Collins campus, public health students dressed as dancing bananas and handed out health-promoting products, while in Aurora, students took part in an exercise flash mob. In Greeley, the week culminated with presentations from community members, faculty and students, with topics ranging from homelessness and housing to women and marijuana use to conspiracy theories about infectious diseases. On Friday of NPHW, students and alumni from the Colorado School of Public Health co-hosted a networking mixer with the Colorado Society for Public Health Education, Colorado Environmental Health Association and Colorado Public Health Association. More than 100 people attended the networking event, including Larry Wolk, MD, MSPH, executive director and chief medical officer with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Also during NPHW, Colorado School of Public Health students launched Everyday Colorado, an online community engagement tool designed to gather information from residents about local environmental concerns, values, experiences and successes. The statewide initiative is a partnership between the public health school, Colorado State University, public health professionals throughout the state, and the Tri-County Health Department in Greenwood Village, Colorado. “Student involvement, through community engagement and developing content about environmental policies and action steps, is a critical component of this community-based learning project,” APHA member Jill Litt, PhD, an associate professor of environmental health at the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado-Boulder, said in a news release. ![Figure89](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F89.medium.gif) [Figure89](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F89) At the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado, students show off their moves during an exercise flash mob. NPHW events were held throughout the state. After gathering input from Colorado residents, Everyday Colorado organizers plan to publish a report on their findings with action steps to prepare the state for emerging challenges. For more on the new tool, visit [www.everydayco.org/your-values](http://www.everydayco.org/your-values). ## NPHW health fair brings community together in Johnstown, New York Best sandwich and longest beard contests were just two of many activities offered during the Connecting Our Generations Health and Wellness Fair in Johnstown, New York, in honor of National Public Health Week. Organized by the Fulton County Public Health Department, in partnership with the Long Term Care Councils of Fulton and Montgomery counties, the fair took place on April 2, and offered a variety of presentations, demonstrations, hands-on activities and contests throughout the day. During the fair, children visited various stations and activities as outlined in their Passport to Wellness. On their journey, they collected stamps and stickers at each checkpoint and received a gift bag for completing the entire health quest. Children also participated in the Best Sandwich Contest, in which they chose wholesome ingredients from an assortment of breads, condiments and fillings. Men participated in the fair’s Fulton County Beard of the Year contest for the chance to win awards for longest beard and best overall beard. Local law enforcement representatives were on hand during the fair to offer safety education, enrolling more than 40 children in the Safe Child program, which collects data on children that can be used if they go missing, as well as issuing child identification cards. New York state police officers demonstrated child safety seat techniques, while local hospital staff offered health screenings and nutrition and wellness services. The Johnstown Fire Department, local emergency medical service and other first responders showcased safety techniques and encouraged fair attendees to prepare their households for an emergency. ![Figure90](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F90.medium.gif) [Figure90](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F90) The Fulton County Public Health Department held an NPHW health and wellness fair in Johnstown, New York. In addition, the health fair offered food demonstrations, gardening tips, exercise classes, information about heroin dependence and overdose prevention as well as information on Zika virus and Lyme disease prevention. Fair attendees could also learn more about lead poisoning prevention, obesity prevention, tobacco cessation, emergency assistance, mental health services and aging services. The event was a “tremendous opportunity to showcase our Fulton County positive spirit and band together for health,” said Irina Gelman, MPH, DPM, director of public health for Fulton County. ## Campbell University students put focus on health of NC community Engaging rural communities in achieving health equity was a central goal of National Public Health Week activities at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. Students made a point to include the community in all NPHW activities as part of their work to help create the healthiest nation in one generation. The university’s public health students began the week on Monday with the “You’re Never Too Young or Too Old to Be Active” campaign. Students also hosted a Shag Night, which pays homage to a Carolinas dance tradition and where students, faculty and community members joined in to kick off the week of activities. On Tuesday, NPHW activities focused on positive mental health messaging in the community, with messages such as “Fight to be Stress Free!” The mental health campaign offered a wealth of stress management tips via social media, and student organizers led a stress management class at the community free clinic on campus. Part of the mental health effort was designed to raise awareness about access to quality health care in rural communities. On Wednesday, the Campbell University Department of Public Health sponsored an interprofessional event that hosted two members of the U.S. Public Health Service who spoke about their experiences on the frontlines of the Ebola outbreak. The event was organized to give students an opportunity to learn more about the role of public health globally as well as the service’s commitment to helping others. During the rest of NPHW, student- and community-led activities took place throughout Harnett County. Public health students volunteered at a local soup kitchen, provided education to young girls at a health fair and served alongside campus ministry in local churches, stores and schools. To cap off NPHW, members of the Campbell University community signed a banner and pledged to be healthy, active and mindful of their health. ![Figure91](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F91.medium.gif) [Figure91](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F91) Students at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, held many National Public Health Week events. However, NPHW activities did not end with students’ pledges. On Saturday, April 12, students took part in an emergency preparedness exercise based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s tongue-in-cheek zombie apocalypse campaign. Students received an educational lecture on the phases of disaster response and then participated in a mock disaster scenario. ## Looking for more? Read National Public Health Week coverage online National Public Health Week organizers are known for their enthusiasm. They showed so much passion this year, in fact, that *The Nation’s Health* had to make more room to accommodate all of the news and photos from their events. While five events are highlighted in the July print issue, another 100-plus events are highlighted online. ![Figure92](http://www.thenationshealth.org/https://www.thenationshealth.org/content/nathealth/46/5/E29/F92.medium.gif) [Figure92](http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/5/E29/F92) The School of Public Health at Georgia State University in Atlanta co-hosted a day of discussions on how to make the city a healthier, more bike-friendly community. “The response was so successful that we needed more space to showcase everything,” said Michele Late, executive editor of *The Nation’s Health.* Full news and photos from NPHW are available on *The Nation’s Health* website, [www.thenationshealth.org](http://www.thenationshealth.org), beginning June 6. — *Lindsey Wahowiak* *This article was corrected post-publication.* * Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association