REACH Internship Empowers Youth
For three weeks in August, Adelante participants Paola Licona and Marlon Hernandez worked with the REACH (Racial/Ethnic Approaches to Community Health) Project to spread the word about the benefits of water consumption and the health risks of sugary drinks. The goal of their internship was to identify ways to call attention to the lack of water access in Langley Park, MD. Through the hashtag #DondeEstaElAgua (#WhereIsTheWater), Paola, Marlon, and the entire REACH staff are encouraging Langley Park residents to look around their homes, schools, and grocery stores and notice the lack of accessible water. The REACH Project encourages residents to join together to advocate for better water access as well as encourage water consumption.
REACH interns working at the Avance Center
REACH interns brainstormed a storyboard for their final project
Talking about Water Up in the Langley Park community
Youth Manager Ana Ortez-Rivera (above, left) accompanied Paola and Marlon to schools, grocery stores, and community events to observe how water and sugary drinks were being presented to the public and spread the word about the REACH Project. Both interns came away from their experiences with a newfound appreciation for the importance of nutrition as well as greater confidence in themselves as community advocates. Watch them describe their achievements in their own words!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtBbuQYwgas&feature=youtu.be
To watch a video about water consumption that Marlon and Paola created, click below!
To conclude their internship, Paola and Marlon presented their findings and recommendations for the future to family, friends, and the Avance staff.
Watch their entire final presentation below! For the Q&A section, skip to 10:40.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwR-ZIEEQ9o