MIKE’s Health Posters Reach Beyond Oregon

When MIKE developed an advocacy project for students to address health issues in their communities, the activity sparked interest far beyond the classrooms in Portland. Students are able to express their ideas, concerns and solutions about health through their posters. From the first round just a few years ago, the poster contest has inspired students in Oregon and in Nigeria.

MIKE Lead Mentor Natalija Miller, second-year medical student, Western University of Health Sciences, COMP-NW, with next year’s lead mentor Trevor Eickman, first-year medical student, Western U., and first-place poster winner, Sweet Home High School’s Olivia Gilmore.

Sweet Home, Oregon 2024

The poster contest for students at Sweet Home High School provides students with an opportunity to share their interests about health in their communities. This year, students submitted posters to address healthier breakfast choices, mental health issues, anxiety and depression and eating disorders. SHHS senior Olivia Gilmore won first place for her depiction of struggles and care over food.

“I chose this topic because I am passionate about maintaining a healthy relationship with food, and I want others to feel free to eat what makes them happy, said Gilmore. “With this poster, I wanted to remind others that, while they should eat healthy to keep their body functioning properly, they should treat themselves every once in a while.”

MIKE Lead Mentor Natalia Miller, second-year medical student at Western University of Health Sciences, COMP-NW, focused on how Gilmore’s imagery and simple message conveyed the right combination for the winning selection. “Your concept appears simple, yet is quite complex,” she stated at the award presentation in May. “Especially noteworthy is how your illustration provides subtle, yet brilliant depictions of food all while using a classical visualization of the “giving hands” delivering health and happiness. It speaks to people with all different kinds of relationships to food.” Natalija, who has won awards and praises for her medical messaging, added, “Your message clearly invites your audience to be healthy with positive encouragement in such a beautiful way. It takes a great deal of bravery to address this issue.”

MIKE’s poster contest was opened to the entire high school this year, due to the added interest. In this rural area, there’s limited opportunities for students to share their message beyond the hallways of their school, so the poster contest offers a way to share their messages with larger audiences.

Photo courtesy of the Cyprian Ezeabogu Foundation. First-place winner Chukwu Favour of the Independence Secondary School in Egunu, Nigeria, receives her award.

Egunu, Nigeria 2024

MIKE’s poster contest outreach extended far beyond the Oregon schools the organization serves. As a result of the positive reactions to nearly a dozen healthcare professionals in the Portland area who served as judges in another of MIKE’s poster contests at De La Salle North Catholic High School in Portland, MIKE re-imagined the contest for students in a school in Egunu, Nigeria.

Spearheaded by Ifeoma Muoto, director of community health for CareOregon, MIKE’s poster contest was used as a framework for students at the Cyprian Ezeabogu Foundation for the Independence Secondary School, located in the city of 876,000. The foundation was founded in 2018 by Muoto and her four sisters to honor the memory of their father, three years after he died. The siblings thought about what impacted them most about their father. He was revered for being a strong advocate for education and integrity in public service. They realized that his inspiring story about the educational interventions that significantly changed the trajectory of his life, and in turn, his family’s futures, was how to best continue his memory.

Muoto said the foundation helps sustain that focus for other youth. CEF fosters growth, development and social empowerment for youth by encouraging innovation and inspiring confidence in youth people. The poster contest provided students with the means to share that mission with their own health solutions. More than 60 students submitted posters for the competition, each showcasing their talents, ideas and skills.

“The response was overwhelmingly positive from the students, school staff and judges,” said Muoto. “Some winners were surprised at what they could do and they were all grateful for the recognition.”

Chukwu Favour, then a senior at Independence Secondary School, won first place for her poignant insight into the effects of social media on youth. She addressed many of the same impacts that social media has on her fellow classmates, as well as youth across the world in the U.S. The theme was a popular health issue facing students.

The award ceremony brought together guest speakers from local universities and organizations, along with school staff in recognition of the students’ works. MIKE was also recognized for its part in introducing the framework for the contest. Students were inspired by samples of posters created by students at De La Salle North Catholic High School, who were amazed that others so far away experienced similar health issues.

"We hope the poster contests are a first step of larger school programming to identify, mentor and financially support disadvantaged students and give them opportunities they would very likely not have otherwise," said Muoto. "Essentially, replicate what happened to our dad!"

Ifeoma Muoto, PhD, Director of Community Health at CareOregon, volunteered with MIKE to present her journey in healthcare for students at David Douglas High School in Spring 2024.

Muoto is certainly carrying along in her father’s legacy. Besides her work with CareOregon, Muoto also is an affiliate professor at OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. She volunteered with MIKE as a guest speaker for MIKE’s Healthcare Workforce Exploration programming at David Douglas High School this past spring. She shared her compelling journey from various jobs in healthcare to earning her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Nigeria, the her master’s degree in health promotion from the University of Connecticut, and achieving her PhD in public health from Oregon State University. Her talks inspired many students to further explore their career options in healthcare.