Promote health in 100 teens in Portland, Oregon

Candace discovered there’s no better way to understand the impact of healthcare than to work directly in the community. So when she began mentoring with MIKE last spring, she enthusiastically took on the responsibilities of guiding a group of four ninth graders toward healthier behaviors.

“Wanting to do more for my community, I wanted to volunteer as a youth mentor in a local high school health class because MIKE’s goal fell in line with my passion to encourage healthy habits as a tool for success later in life,” Candace said.

Candace was assigned to four ninth graders at De La Salle North Catholic High School, representing a variety of populations of color. The experience offered her a chance to work directly with young people who can be at risk of the outcomes of poor health and chronic diseases.

“Understanding the importance of healthy eating habits, and how socioeconomic factors are linked to prevention and healthcare access, have been issues I cared about early on,” Candace said. “Now, those interests have transformed into a career and become the core of what I do.”

Candace’s experience reinforced her determination to make a career in healthcare. She said it was her only choice when she was the age of her mentors.

“I chose to go into healthcare as a career from the very minute I started thinking of college in high school,” said Candace. After high school, Candace went to Oregon State University, graduating in 2016 with a degree in public health.

Before proceeding to the next level of her education, Candace entered the workforce, first at Oregon Health Science University, then at Kaiser Permanente. “Kaiser gave me the opportunity to see how healthcare can impact and benefit people’s lives,” she said. She said volunteering helps extend the impact in even more ways.

“I volunteered at De La Salle North Catholic High School with the MIKE program because I personally believed in what MIKE represents and aims to achieve,” said Candace. “Their mission to empower youth to live a healthy life is something that I felt passionate about. I had always been an advocate of healthy eating and making healthy lifestyle choices, not just for me personally but for others around me as well.”

Throughout MIKE’s programming, Candace began instilling basic skills into the youth that would help them navigate through a maze of conflicting information and ideas. MIKE guides youth through a series of hands-on activities and lessons that build confidence in managing and advocating for one’s health.

“I think sometimes it can take a bit of repetition for something to stick, especially if you’re trying to change a habit or lifestyle,” said Candace. “But I think that even with a limited exposure, a small step can make a big difference.”

When the youth dived into reading food labels, Candace thought they would immediately want to use the information in their own lives. She said she was a bit surprised when they initially didn’t seem to want to use the information at home. As the program progressed, that changed.

“Closer towards the end of the program, we went over how to read and interpret nutrition labels. At the end of that session, I had asked if they might pay more attention to nutrition labels now,” quizzed Candace. “Most of their responses were ‘yes,’ and they’d look closer at the sugar content and ingredient list—and that they’d even ask their parents about it while grocery shopping. It’s safe to say I had a ‘proud mom’ moment!”

A week later, during a field trip for a healthy food scavenger hunt at a grocery store, Candace helped guide her team throughout the aisles in search of healthy options. Now the youth could engage their knowledge and skills in reading and analyzing food labels. The teens soon realized how they could make and promote options for healthier food alternatives.

Candace said mentoring with MIKE made a difference in her own education and career choices, as well as making a difference in the lives of the youth.

“I showed them and discussed ways to make healthy changes, as well as talk about my own healthcare experiences,” Candace said. “And by just being a positive role model, I’d like to think that they are still using these tools to make better choices for themselves and their families.” 

MIKE is able to provide early-career healthcare professionals with opportunities that can impact the lives of others with your generous support. Together, we can advance healthier lives for our communities.

Links:

• MIKE Program website