Certified Health Education Specialist Core Competencies
Area I: Assessing individual and community needs for health education
Area of Responsibility I provides the competencies of assessing the needs of an individual and community for health education. I participated in a windshield survey tour of Downtown Columbus, Georgia with my fellow classmates at Columbus State University during the Fall 2022 semester. A windshield survey tour is normally conducted from a car and provides a visual overview of a community. For the purpose of our classroom setting, we conducted a “walk-through” windshield survey.
Conditions and trends in the community that could affect the health of the population were noted. The data provided background and context for working with individuals and families in their community.
I also volunteered/completed two CASPER Surveys with the Health Department during the Fall 2021 & Spring 2022 semesters It is designed to provide public health leaders and emergency managers with information about a community so they can make informed decisions.
Certified Health Education Specialist Core Competencies
Area II: Plan effective health education programs, strategies and interventions
Area of Responsibility II provides planning effective health education programs, strategies, and interventions In the Fall of 2022 and the Spring of 2023 semesters, I planned a plethora of health education programs that can help the overall community of Columbus, Ga. The topics included COVID-19, Diabetes, Alzheimer's/Dementia, and Health Literacy.
Certified Health Education Specialist Core Competencies
Area III: Implementing health education programs
Area of Responsibility III provides the competencies of implementing a health education program. In the Spring of 2022, I implemented health education pamphlets/posters on COVID-19, Celiac Disease, & Alzheimer's/Dementia This required a great deal of research in order to strategize on how I can educate the community about these different topics.
Certified Health Education Specialist Core Competencies
Area IV: Evaluating the effectiveness of health education programs
Area of Responsibility IV provides the competencies for evaluating the effectiveness of health education programs. I attended two community health outreach events about Alzheimer's/Dementia. The goal of both events was to fundraise money for Alzheimer's care, support, and research. The health education message was to be proactive in order to prevent Alzheimer’s as well as raise awareness for this disease.
Certified Health Education Specialist Core Competencies
Area V: Coordinating the provision of health education services
Area of Responsibility V provides the competencies for coordinating the provision of health education services. Columbus State University and the CITI Program collaborated to serve the training needs of colleges and universities, healthcare institutions, technology and research organizations, and governmental agencies, as they foster integrity and professional advancement of their learners. This training aided me in becoming certified to further my research in health education. This was a great tool for my research, ethics, compliance, professional development, and educational needs.
Certified Health Education Specialist Core Competencies
Area VI: Acting as a resource person in health education
Area of Responsibility VI provides the competencies of acting as a resource person in health education. During my term of serving as Chief Justice for the Student Government Association (SGA), I was the resource person for students that needed information pertaining to COVID-19. I worked closely with the COVID-19 Response Team in order to provide students the answers they needed during the peak of the pandemic.
Certified Health Education Specialist Core Competencies
Area VII: Communicating health and health education needs, concerns, and resources
Area of Responsibility VII provides the competencies for communicating health and education needs, concerns, and resources. During the Fall 2022 semester, I created a public service announcement (PSA) with two of my classmates. Our topic introduced what the drug Fentanyl is and how parents need to take caution about what candy their children collect during Halloween. We used the popular social media platform, TikTok, to show off our creativity abilities while still being educational.
Certified Health Education Specialist Core Competencies
Area VIII: Applying appropriate research principles and methods in health education
Area of Responsibility VIII provides the competencies for applying research principles and methods in health education. During the Spring of 2022, I completed a group research assignment in a Health Science course called: Human Sexuality. This class allowed me to showcase my skills by creating a survey as well as researching how COVID-19 changed the population's sexual behaviors. Our findings and results for our final group research paper and poster are below.
Certified Health Education Specialist Core Competencies
Area IX: Administering health education programs.
Area of Responsibility IX provides the competencies of administering a health education program. During the Fall 2022 semester, I was advised to participate in the annual SOPHE (Society for Public Education) conference (March 21st-24th, 2023). During this process, my classmate and I had to complete an SRACE Grant to get funding for the conference. The skills that I have acquired from learning how to complete the application will aid me in continuing to represent my research at other conferences in the future. The SRACE Grant information is below:
Other Certifications/Awards
Mental Health First Aider USA
AHEC Scholar Certificate of Completion
