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������������TEEN
HEALTH
EDUCATORS WORDS: Kiarra Louis, Teen Health Educator Team Leader
When people ask “What did you do
on your summer vacation?” the
dedicated members of the Healthy Teens
Coalition’s (HTC) Teen Health Educator
program have plenty to talk about! In the
summer of 2018, this group of 25 youths
provided crucial health information to over
1,000 Manatee County students ranging in
age from 10 through 19. Since 201��, the
specially trained Teen Health Educators
have provided peer education on youth
health issues to over 6,000 local students
at schools, shelters, the Boys and Girls
Clubs, and more.
WHY WE EDUCATE
HTC was created in 2010 in direct response
to the high teen birth and repeated birth
rates in Manatee County. Since then,
with broad community partnerships, the
teen birth rate has signi��cantly improved.
For example, births to teens 1�� and
under dropped by over 50%, and births
to teens 1�� to 19 decreased by over
38%. However, signi��cant issues such
as mental health, substance abuse,
and sexually transmitted diseases, are
impacting youth as they reach epidemic
proportions both locally and nationally.
HTC launched the Teen Health Educator
(THE) program to continue its mission
of reducing risky behaviors by providing
youth with the knowledge and skills to make
informed choices regarding their health.
The Teen Health Educators partner with
local youth serving organizations to provide
onsite peer education and mentoring.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES
TO BE A TEEN HEALTH
������������������
New Teen Health Educators undergo six
weeks of extensive training, encompassing
health education and skill development.
Then, new graduates are sent out in
teams, accompanied by a trained adult
advisor, to present health education and
advocate for youth health with local, state,
and national elected of��cials.
Every Fall, THE recruits, aged 15 to
22, participate in this
exciting opportunity to
build leadership skills,
develop public speaking
skills, and serve as role
models for younger teens,
while making meaningful
contributions to their
community and peers.
In addition, this is an
ideal opportunity for
those considering
a health career.
To become a THE, one must meet the
following requirements:
• Attend school or reside
in Manatee County.
• Have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
• Have a written reference letter
from a non-family adult.
• Have a written parent
consent if underage.
• Attend a personal interview
and mandatory trainings.
• Apply by Tuesday, January 15,
2019 at midnight.
THE BENEFITS OF EDUCATING
As a THE, I can attest to the bene��ts
of this program. My fellow Teen Health
Educators and I can personally use
the information we’ve learned to make
better health decisions. We’ve also
had unique opportunities to receive
community honors and recognitions. I’ve
had opportunities to develop my writing
skills, which is extremely bene��cial since
I’m now working on a technical writing
degree at USF.
If interested, now is your chance to learn
more about this state and nationally
recognized program and to be a part of
it by visiting www.healthyteensmanatee.
com for more information!
/www.healthyteensmanatee.com
