by Grace Evans, third-year in the College

Are you interested in teaching health classes to Chicago Public School students? The UChicago-based Peer Health Exchange is inviting students to apply to be a part of this national organization.

PHE is a nonprofit organization that trains college students to teach health classes to ninth-graders in public schools. PHE is a national organization, operating in four universities in Chicago and five cities throughout the U.S. This means we have access to significant monetary and human resources, and yet we function like a community organization. PHE at UChicago will teach in five schools this year, all on the South Side, and three within walking distance of the University.

PHE volunteers teach health workshops in ten subjects to meet this need, engaging students in discussions and roleplays to give them the knowledge and skills they need to make healthy decisions.
All of these schools are high-need, measured by the proportion of students receiving free or reduced lunch, and by the fact that these schools would not offer comprehensive health education if PHE were not there.