Teenagers as Health Screeners and Educators: The Evolution of the Mississippi State University Junior Master Wellness Volunteer Program and Results of a Pilot Study

ORCID

Buys: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8547-056X

MSU Affiliation

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion

Creation Date

2026-01-29

Abstract

In this paper, we report our experience in the development of a curriculum for the training and deployment of high school students into Mississippi communities as health screeners and health advocates. In collaboration with the Mississippi State University Extension Service (MSU ES) and the existing Mississippi 4-H program, we trained 462 high school student volunteers and 38 MSU ES agents in a new MSU ES Junior Master Wellness Volunteer (JMWV) Curriculum patterned after the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Community Health Advocate (CHA) Program. Our program, a descendent of community-based health training initiatives in Mississippi dating to 1924, has now provided 5839 service hours to 7531 Mississippians with an estimated dollar value of $115,670.59. Although further research is needed, we feel our experience provides proof of principle that the JMWV Program successfully trains, deploys, supervises, and mentors high school students to provide health screening for common chronic illness using a curriculum developed by health professionals. Those JMWVs effectively referred individuals screened to medical professionals for evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment where appropriate, while increasing their own health literacy and interest in health professions training.

Publication Date

10-1-2020

Publication Title

The Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association

Publisher

Mississippi State Medical Association

First Page

335

Last Page

340

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS