Leading public health innovation in high schools across local and global settings

Adolescents in the 21st century face numerous preventable public health challenges that extend beyond academics to include physical, mental, and social well-being. Addressing these issues requires schools to integrate public health education into their systems, empowering youth with digital health literacy and interdisciplinary skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, innovation, and collaboration. To meet this need, the University of Memphis School of Public Health developed the "RE-AIM Public Health IDEAS" model (Research, Entrepreneurship, Analytics, Informatics, and Management), designed to transform innovative ideas into actionable solutions.

Complementing this framework, the initiative promotes Leadership and Educational Advancement among Youth to solve Public Health (LEAP) challenges, enabling students to gain exposure to population-level thinking and community health problem-solving. The model is operationalized through the Public Health in Action curriculum, an innovative, evidence-informed, and flexible approach that combines foundational training in public health with real-world experiential learning. Using principles of human-centered design and data-driven strategies, the curriculum emphasizes critical skills in science and digital health literacy, youth empowerment, and community-based participatory action research. Implementation details were presented through descriptive summaries, supplemented by graphs and tables illustrating student participation and activity outcomes.

Public Health Clubs established in high schools across the United States and India serve as structured platforms where students engage in collaborative learning, team-building, and creative activities while addressing pressing health issues in their communities. A total of 400 students contributed to approximately 150 health-focused activities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, including hygiene promotion, nutrition awareness, mental well-being, and preventive healthcare. By familiarizing youth with health information, organizational skills, and leadership opportunities, the program fosters social responsibility and normalizes positive health behaviors that can have lasting effects on both personal and community health outcomes.

This initiative inspires young people to pursue careers in public health, enhances sensitivity to health issues, and cultivates the next generation of public health ambassadors dedicated to translating education into meaningful, community-driven impact.