Jackson Public Schools and University of Mississippi Medical Center- Programs and activities to address health through prevention and education

Volunteers: 300+
Partnership duration: 2 years 

UMMC, with help from its Office for Community Engagement and Service Learning, actively seeks opportunities to form community partnerships that advance and support student learning while also contributing to better health. It's fitting that the first UMMC-wide service endeavor was aimed at improving literacy; after all, health literacy begins with literacy. In January 2016, UMMC partnered with JPS Partners in Education and Innovations in Learning to become the largest corporate and higher education participant in the TutorMate Program, a record it continues to hold in the program's second year.

Activities: 

  • UMMC School of Nursing nurse-managed school clinics
  • UMMC School of Dentistry Give Kids A Smile
  • Discover Nursing Day
  • Kindergarten hand-washing project, etc.

Impacts:

  • Expose students to healthcare careers
  • Health academy students can screen for chronic health issues
  • Health Academies offered at all seven JPS high schools