Teen Health Leadership Program: Innovative strategies to sustain university-school partnerships to promote adolescent health and development

Entering its fourth year, the Teen Health Leadership Program (THLP) demonstrates an effective partnership between an academic medical center and local public high school to address community concerns related to adolescent health and development. Johns Island, the site of the THLP, is a rural community plagued by poverty and isolation. Partnerships with community organizations and larger institutions are critical to bring necessary resources to the island. In collaboration with the school district and multiple community organizations, THLP seeks to empower high school students to assist and serve their community. Through innovative computer technologies and the Internet, the THLP provides health literacy training, enabling the students to design and implement outreach projects to improve the awareness and use of quality health information in their community.

Funded by the National Libraries of Medicine, the THLP has produced relevant results related to sustainable partnerships, health literacy and community engagement. First, participatory development of the program among partners and integration of the program into existing structures has produced a sustainable mechanism to support the program for years to come. Second, the Internet and use of creative technologies are critical components to achieve health literacy when working with adolescents. Finally, with adequate support, adolescents can serve as messengers of positive health promotion to address the health concerns of their community.

THLP serves as a model program for sustainable university-school partnerships to address the needs of a community and develop educated health leaders for the future.