Julia Kim
Staff Writer
Faced-painted children, snakes and a live helicopter landing were only some of the features that one got to see at the Health and Education EXPO.
On Jan. 29, the Coppell High School Public Service Academy (PSA) held its first annual Health and Education EXPO from 9:00 a.m. to noon and showcased the work done thus far by this academy.
“The focus of the EXPO is to provide service learning for the students, giving them the opportunity to give back to the community,” PSA lead Brenda Brinkman said. “There is an emphasis on health care, education and literacy, and this EXPO did just that by putting the spotlight on wellness and education.”
During the period the group spent planning, students networked with various local businesses and organizations which gave them the chance to see and experience a variety of groups.
“We [the officers] were assigned different teams and were the leaders,” PSA vice president Uzair Javaid said. “Each team was given different jobs, so we set up fairly quick. However, hosting it was a little challenging because the officers had to manage teams, but honestly, that part was fun too.”
The event featured a wide range of exhibits, and various organizations including Baylor Medical Center, Coppell Police and Fire Departments, Carter BloodCare, Discovery Education, Dallas Zoo and Walgreens had vendors with multiple activities. Clubs from the high school including HOSA, Special Olympics, Relay for Life Coppell, Hope for Africa, National Art Honor Society (NAHS) and Ready Set Teach were also present.
“The health expo was a wonderful way for me to connect with the entire community,” senior and HOSA president Janice Kim said. “Moreover, this provided me a great opportunity to explore various aspects of the medical field. It would have been great if HOSA had done this in the past.”
Free health screenings and assessments were available for adults, and community members had the opportunity to donate blood. Students also had the opportunity to listen to both different representatives from local businesses and their peers. In addition, NAHS members were present designing Luminaria bags and painting faces.
“Many of the vendors were fun, and others, myself included, got to socialize while giving explanations of our projects at the same time,” Uzair said. “It was great watching the helicopter land. For the first one, I think this EXPO was a hit. We already have many guaranteed vendors for our EXPO next year, and it also gave PSA publicity.”
In addition to Brinkman, Health Science Technology teacher Ray Pool and Anatomy teacher Jodie Deinhammer, academy teachers John Harris, Creighton Hulse, Bill Parker, Shelly Redding, Becky Richards, Sunny Richardson, Laura Salamone and Ginger Smith all helped to bring the community together.
“Mr. Pool blanketed the community to find groups [interested in participating],” Brinkman said. “First, he talked to and invited businesses with students volunteering at their locations including hospitals and clinics. It eventually spread by word of mouth, and Mrs. Deinhammer also emailed the service clubs.”
The EXPO is certainly considered a success, and PSA only has high expectations for the EXPOS that will be held in the future.
“It has been very rewarding to see the students communicating with the professionals,” Brinkman said. “It was an excellent venue to display the work that has been done up to date. I can see this event bigger and better in the future; people [the vendors] are already thinking about next year.”
