Booker T. Washington High School

Research suggests that teenagers are more likely to avoid risky behavior when they see themselves as participants in a larger community.  School has been identified as a potential site for this community participation.  The Booker T. Washington High School (BTWHS) Health and Human Service Academy (HHSA) is designed to keep teens in school by providing them with a community and surrounding them with positive role models.  Continuing a long-standing relationship between BTWHS and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, this project's aim is to prepare students for careers or post-secondary education in health care.

• NHWSN students conduct projects related to health promotion and wellness on topics chosen by BTWHS students and faculty.  The purpose of these projects is to teach Academy students about the topics and help them develop educational strategies to teach their peers and students at feeder schools.

• The NHWSN sponsors health fairs for BTWHS students, faculty, staff and parents.  NHWSN students act as consultants to the Academy students on health fair activities that include measuring blood pressure, height and weight, teaching nutrition, education on hypertension risk factors, and other pertinent topics.  Data on abnormal findings are given to the school and NHWSN graduate students visits the school to help carry out follow-ups.

For more information on Booker T. Washington High School: http://www.ci.atlanta.ga.us/citydir/urban/bookert.htm