Washington Global Health Alliance (WGHA) Ambassadors is an innovative educational program designed to engage and inspire high school students and teachers about the challenges and opportunities to address critical health needs worldwide. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WGHA Ambassadors aims to give students a well-rounded understanding of global health and how global health challenges need to be met by creative new ideas.
We are pleased to report Ambassadors students demonstrated significant learning gains over non-Ambassadors students in Algebra and chemistry. Teachers reported increases in student engagement and their abilities to connect coursework with relevant STEM careers.
Incorporating a cross-disciplinary approach with math, science and social studies, teachers from four pilot schools worked with WGHA researchers and practitioners to develop a curriculum consistent with required standards. Twelve teachers developed curriculum rich with case studies and real-world examples of global health.
The four Washington State pilot schools are:
- Blaine High School, near the Canadian border
- Cleveland High School, in the Seattle School district
- Health Sciences and Human Services High School, in Burien
- Toppenish High School, in the Toppenish School District
"What makes this project so exciting is that our enrolled teachers are working shoulder to shoulder with Washington’s most distinguished global health experts and have developed the curriculum and resources that all students crave,” said Nona Clifton, project manager for the WGHAA program.
For more information, contact:
Nona Clifton, WGHAA Officer
206.256.7423
nona.clifton@seattlebiomed.org