Youth voice is a critical priority for us at the Oregon-School Based Health Alliance (OSBHA). Student Health Advocates promote the value of school-based health across Oregon. OSBHA offers this leadership opportunity to young people, ages 14-22, in the Portland Metro area who are interested in becoming a voice not only for their own health, but the health of their peers and community.
Student Health Advocates have the opportunity to plan, facilitate, and participate in dynamic professional development activities and events across Oregon. Student Health Advocates help plan statewide conferences, speak publicly about health and wellness issues affecting young people, meet with legislators to advocate for school-based health, and train providers in how to provide youth-friendly care. Student Health Advocates serve as representatives for OSBHA in peer-led trainings, advocacy campaigns, and presentations. OSBHA serves as an advisor to the advocates, helping with logistics and sharing the Student Health Advocate views and projects with local, state, and national partners.
What does a Student Health Advocate do?
-
Represent and advocate for School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) and school-based health services in Oregon.
-
Advocate for equitable and youth-friendly healthcare.
-
Organize and facilitate statewide projects, and workshops for youth, healthcare professionals and others.
How do I become a Student Health Advocate?
Applications are currently closed for the 2018-2019 school year.
If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with OSBHA Student Health Advocates, please contact Antonia Rangel-Caril at antonia@osbha.org or 503-719-4515. Feel free to check out our FAQ page.
Meet our Student Health Advocate Leads:
Antonia Rangel-Caril
Pronouns: she/her
Program and Advocacy Coordinator
As the Program and Advocacy Coordinator, I am excited to support the Student Health Advocates promote better health care for all youth in Oregon. If you or your organization is looking for highly skilled and passionate healthcare advocates to stimulate and engage your youth community, please feel free to contact me directly at antonia@osbha.org
Haylee Williams
Pronouns: she/her
Student Health Advocates Coach
Being new to the Portland area a few years ago and attending a new high school senior year I did not know where I fit in. I had left my hometown, everything and everyone I’d grown up with, gone was everything familiar. I felt lost and then I asked myself: What is my role in this new community? What can I contribute? And what does it have to offer me? It was through joining the Tigard High School SHAC club that I was presented with the opportunity to apply to be a part of the OSBHA’s Statewide Youth Action Council (SYAC). I was accepted and things took off. Suddenly I was able to be a part of local policy, able to develop trainings, work with health professionals to create ad campaigns, testify at the state Capitol and so much more. Those reading this might think wow what great resume material! But it’s more than that, OSBHA through its SYAC and Student Health Advocates (SHA) programs have allowed me to grow as a person in ways that go beyond what's on paper. I’ve gained new lenses in how I see and approach the needs of my community, I’ve gained the ability to turn passion into action, I’ve gotten to realize my own identity as a young leader of colour and the responsibility that that carries. Working with OSBHA as a young person is one of those experiences that cannot be simplified to a few bullet points or sentences. But what can be said is that it means the world to me. They helped me get through high school and now they’re helping me get through college by giving us as a cohort the freedom to create and find projects statewide that foster the growth of our character, our professional skills, our local networks, and most importantly it allows us to take care of those around us and ensure that health and wellness of our peers is a priority for our state’s government.
Meet our 2017-2018 Student Health Advocates:
Cipriano Luna
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Student Health Advocate
Cipriano Luna is a Mexican-American 17 year old, who is a junior at Gresham High School. His passion is running cross country and track which is his way of relaxing, also he’s part of MECha, Key club, College Possible, and the Oregon School Based health. He decided to join the Oregon School Based Health so he could make a difference in youth health by advocating for them, getting students funding for their school based health centers. When he graduates his hope is to become a social worker, to continue on helping youth and advocating for them.
Destiny Obgeama
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Student Health Advocate
Destiny Ogbeama is a senior at Gresham High School. This is her first year being a student health advocate. Since Destiny is pursuing a career as a pediatrician she thought being a student health advocate would be excellent in terms of exposing her to youth health issues that she can advocate for now and in the future when she gets the chance to work with the youth directly. Through SBHA, Destiny hopes to expand her knowledge in health issues as well as make a difference in her community. Destiny also hopes to aid her school in implementing a school based health center. Youth voice is extremely important to Destiny because she believes that the youth can bring forth fresh, original, and innovative ideas that can impact society immensely.
James Biggers
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Student Health Advocate
James is a twenty-two year old Clackamas High School graduate and has been with the Oregon School Based Health Alliance and SHA since October of 2013. He has been a proud team member since the beginning. His passion for community health and wellness and drive to create new and interesting projects has made his time with the organization truly wonderful. He hopes that he can bring his experience to the new team of motivated and amazing advocates to make SHA the most successful it has ever been.
Jayla Pride
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Student Health Advocate
Jayla Pride finds herself advocating for OSBHA after discovering her passion to change the standards in our health care system while attending Jefferson High School as a junior. There, she’s involved in clubs and attends lectures that help her push for a better environment in her classrooms. As a 16 year old WOC (woman of color), she’s prepared to speak out against discrimination towards women and minorities. In a years’ time, Jayla hopes that the equitable ideals that she believes in becomes less of a discussion, and more of a reality.
Jennifer Cruz
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Student Health Advocate
My story is like many others students’ on the journey to reaching life dreams and aspirations. A lot of us are living the same journey, even though it feels unique to me, I know there is a relatable-ness that I can share with many. My name is also unique to me, I am Jennifer Cruz Hernandez. I am a freshman at Portland Community College and I work with kindergarteners at McKinney Elementary School that have autism. I take part in the Student Health Advocacy Program, Student Equity Team, the district Citizens Curriculum Advisory Committee, and IGNiTE program. Through these activities I have found my passion in Equity and social justice. Fortunately, they have allowed me to advocate for and serve my community. I’m not sure where my college tuition is, what college I’m going to go to, how to follow my dreams. But what I do know, is that when I’m helping my community, it’s worth it. It matters. My life purpose is to serve, empower, and inspire families and students who face the life conditions of being disadvantaged and underrepresented. I will serve others through the field of education, social work, and speaking to ignite the spark within my community. My career interest will assist me to achieve my life purpose by having my knowledge grow to get conversations started and give more knowledge to others so that success among us only increases. Everyone deserves to be represented. Everyone deserves to be heard. Everyone deserves an opportunity and to be supported through it.
Jessica Griepenburg
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Student Health Advocate
Jessica Griepenburg is a senior at Grant High School and has lived in Portland, Oregon for most of her life. This is her first year as a student advocate with OSBHA and she is excited to be more involved in advocacy with in her community, specifically involving sexual and mental health. Jessica became a student advocate because she believes that student health is not prioritized as an issue within schools. Also, as an editor-in-chief of Grant’s news publication, sharing youth experiences and perspectives is very important to her. Jessica is eager to learn more about what she can do to improve access to resources and education about healthcare for her fellow youth.
Madeleine Wheelock
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Student Health Advocate
Madeleine is 16 and currently a sophomore at Cleveland High School. Although this is Madeleine’s first year advocating with OBSHA, she has always had a passion for student’s rights to health care. She is particularly passionate about women’s health, dealing with anxiety and stress, and improving the lack of sexual health taught throughout schools. Madeleine enjoys working with others and building community, and is very excited to promote change and improvement within schools, their students and their health centers.
Megan Feely
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Student Health Advocate
Megan Feely is a senior Public Health student at PSU. She is a member of Phi Delta Epsilon medical fraternity, a Build Exito scholar, and a lab assistant in Dr. Winthrop Center of Infectious Disease lab at OHSU. She is studying the link between anxiety and depression, and disease outcomes in patients with nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM). Summer of 2019 she will be applying to OHSU medical school, where she hopes to remain a part of the OHSU community during her residency and career as well. Megan has strong passions for women’s health, pediatrics, health policy, disease prevention, and youth voice in healthcare. During High school, Megan volunteered a combined 1,200 hours at the Oregon Zoo as a ZooTeen and at Outdoor school as a student leader. As a ZooTeen she taught visitors and zoo campers the value of sustainability and the environment. During her time at Outdoor school Megan lead discussions with sixth graders about the role soil plays in the health of the forest. She is currently volunteering at the Oregon School Based Health Alliance as a Student Health Advocate. Within the last four years she has helped pass bill HB 4002 through the Oregon Legislature, which is a bill funding Oregon schools to train teachers on how to be more trauma informed. She has lobbied to Senators and Representatives to continue funding School Based Health Centers. Finally, she has lead four Eye-to-Eye training sessions to health care professionals in areas like Bend and Corvallis.
Melissa Muñoz
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Student Health Advocate
Melissa Muñoz is 17 and has lived in Portland, OR almost all her life. Melissa is a Student Health Advocate at OSBHA. This year Melissa has tried occupying herself more with social justice issues in society by joining social justice organizations, events, programs, etc. While being here at OSBHA, Melissa is eager to learn more about school-based health centers and what she can do to help to improve the healthcare/medical system.
Mira Huki
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Student Health Advocate
Mira Hukill is a 16 year old student at Milwaukie Academy of the Arts. She was a part of Milwaukie High School's Youth Advisory Council (YAC) for a short time and plans on rejoining her junior year. Mira has used her school based health center for many different things and wants everyone to be able to access healthcare no matter what background they're from. She is quite passionate about LGBTQ+ health and rights, properly educating students about consent, and making sure that high school students are given all the support and healthcare that they need. Mira looks forward to being a part of OSBHA's statewide Youth Action Council to meet people with similar passions, have a voice for the youth, and learn leadership skills.
Morgan Gallardo
Student Health Advocate
Morgan comes to the Student Health Advocates with 4 years’ experience in advocacy and working with Milwaukie High School's Youth Advisory Council. Morgan is passionate about feminism, including reproductive rights, and LGBT rights, as well as equal representation and treatment for all in the healthcare system.
Sienna Day
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Student Health Advocate
Sienna Day is a Milwaukie High School student who is passionate about serving her community and giving youth a voice. At her school, she is involved with her local YAC as well as president of the Milwaukie Habitat for Humanity Chapter and vice president of the Milwaukie National Honor Society. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, and going to concerts. Through her advocacy, she hopes to promote health literacy for Oregon youth.
Weston Taylor
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Student Health Advocate
Weston is a 15 year old trans foster youth. He attends Benson High School. Weston joined OSBHA Student Health Advocates with a deep passion for connecting with his peers and community. Weston is involved with Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center, SMYRC and regularly attends meetings, workshops, and youth LGBTQ events. Weston enjoys spaces where he can listen, learn, and connect with other LGBTQ youth. Weston is excited to learn more about healthcare, his impact on the community, and building his leadership skills.
