At summer camps throughout the area, children are playing soccer, dyeing T-shirts, and constructing model volcanoes. However, at one WashU summer camp, participants are creating art to examine an unexpected subject: public health.

The LIGHT Creativity in Public Health Summer Camp invites students to harness their creativity and personal experiences to produce artwork, poetry, and narratives that convey the significance of health and science.

“In the realm of public health, children are seldom regarded as authorities on their own health and wellness. Our aim is to provide kids that platform through art,” remarked Juliet Iwelunmor, a medicine professor and associate director for global health and dissemination at WashU Medicine, as well as the head of the school’s Light Institute for Global Health and Transformation, which organizes the summer camp for elementary and middle school students.

Throughout the week-long camp, youngsters participated in a variety of creative activities including writing, zine production, drawing, and more. They also listened to numerous speakers, such as faculty from the new WashU School of Public Health, local medical professionals, and community advocates. Additionally, they explored the concept of trust—its importance in their relationships and how to cultivate it within their communities.

During a widely attended session concerning mindfulness and mental health, Iwelunmor, who also holds a secondary role at the School of Public Health, illustrated how Nigerian headscarves can symbolize both solace and tension. She encouraged students to close their eyes and reflect on their stressors, such as social conflicts and schoolwork. The children then tied a knot in vividly colored scarves for each stressor. Subsequently, they untied the knots while engaging in breathing exercises and contemplating their support systems.

“Be aware of yourself as you inhale and exhale,” Iwelunmor instructed the campers. “Recognize the stress you felt. Now, unveil your scarf and describe what you observe.”

“I see a bunch of colors,” responded one student.

“Trees and lily pads,” another chimed in.

“When you’re feeling stressed, there are individuals who will embrace you and provide comfort, just like these scarves,” Iwelunmor explained to the students, now swathed in their scarves.

Eighth grader Lotanna Ezepue stated that the exercise taught her techniques to unwind.

“Unraveling the scarves symbolized releasing the stress,” Lotanna noted.

The camp is part of LIGHT, Leaders Igniting Generational Healing and Transformation, one of the initiatives under the Light Institute for Global Health and Transformation. Alongside the camp, LIGHT produces a magazine that will feature contributions from the campers and hosts the LIGHT Festival, scheduled for Thursday, June 19, both online and in person at the Delmar Divine. Other programs from the Light Institute collaborate with youth to address issues such as HIV, HPV, cancer, and more.

“A common theme uniting all of the Light Institute’s initiatives is a shared emphasis on involving the public in discussions about public health,” stated Emily Miller from the Light Institute. “By inviting young people to express their opinions, we have the unique opportunity to work alongside them and empower youth to co-create interventions for their communities as the upcoming generation of public health researchers and advocates.”

Iwelunmor established the camp as a reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions on children. She aims for young people to realize that healthy communities are fostered by individuals, not just government regulations or scientific inquiries.

“When COVID struck, children were instructed to wear masks and maintain social distance, but they were never educated on what public health signifies and why it is crucial. That is not covered in elementary school curricula,” Iwelunmor noted. “The pandemic has subsided, yet we cannot revert to previous norms. We must devise methods to disseminate evidence-based interventions—whether regarding the significance of mindfulness for alleviating children’s anxiety and depression or methods to prevent future pandemics—beyond academic circles and into the hands of youth. Creative expression serves as one avenue to achieve this. We should never disregard the children.”

The LIGHT Creativity in Public Health Summer Camp will return to WashU next summer. The program provides scholarships to ensure that financial constraints do not inhibit any student wishing to participate.

Second grader Catherine Denny, the youngest participant at the camp, expressed her enjoyment of the camp’s various elements, such as learning about the crucial role trust plays in her personal life and in the realm of science.

“I appreciate all the people who come, and I cherish the friendships I’ve made. I’m discovering a lot about how to maintain health, and I’m gaining significant knowledge about art,” Denny shared. “I’ve realized that one should always practice trust. Being truthful is essential.”

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