Beltsville Community Health Fair

Public and Community Health students had the opportunity to put what they’ve been learning in the classroom to use at a health fair for the Beltsville community on Monday, Nov. 15.

Dr. Sharon Desmond’s section of HLTH391, Principles of Public and Community Health, hosted “Fall Into Good Health” a family health fair at the Beltsville Community Center, and around 200 people came out to support the event.

The students were divided up into six different committees in regards to planning and executing the fair: door prizes, evaluation, facilities management, publicity, topics and vendors.

Lucy Valera and Ryan Nguy, both public and community health seniors, were a part of the evaluation committee, which developed surveys for the fair’s students, visitors and vendors.

Along with that, the two created a display for the fair about the importance of exercise.

“We thought about activities and ways to get people to start exercising,” Valera said.
Their display, which included hula hooping, was one of the most popular spots among the children at the fair.

Nguy said he got to speak with people at the fair that he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to otherwise, including a man who claimed watching others work out keeps him healthy.

“It helps us get into the public and see how people feel, and how they actually talk about their health,” he said.

Kristina Smyrk, another public and community health senior, was a part of the topics committee, which conducted focus groups before the event to find out what topics should be presented.

Based on their research, the students presented information on preventing teen drinking, exercise, breast cancer, Alzheimer’s prevention, sexually transmitted diseases, prenatal care, preventing bullying, Type II Diabetes, oral health, newborn and infant health, HIV and AIDS and child safety.

Students from the vendors committee identified and called vendors and organizations from the local community to participate in the fair as well.

The vendors conducted vision screenings, bone density and bone composition testing, blood pressure, glucose and flexibility screenings, HIV testing, social work counseling and administered flu shots.

Lisa Conto, a public and community health senior, said it was a relief to see everything at the fair finally coming together.

“It’s not like in a classroom,” she said. “You’re actually out here doing stuff with people and learning.”