General Information

Background

Organization	Community College of Denver
Professional Title	CCD Intern
Bio and Background	I am completing an internship with The Force for Health this Summer. I am a student at the Community College of Denver and should be graduating with a Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Healthcare Informatics later this year. I previously worked as a Nurse Aide at a rehabilitation hospital. I also have several years of experience working as a preschool and kindergarten teacher’s aide.
Why I am a Force for Health Member	I hope this experience gives me the opportunity to apply everything I have learned through my journey as a student these last couple of years. I want to see how my knowledge can be applied to a real life setting.
How I use the Force for Health Network Tools	I am interested in using the tools offered by The Force for Health, specialy the virtual gym which makes it easy to track nutrition, physical activity and other heatlh information to achieve personal goals.
My inspiration	I am inspired by my parents who are very hard working and dedicated people.
Location	Denver Colorado
What would you like people to know about your community?	Denver is considered one of the healthier states in the US. There is a big focus on healthy eating habits and physical activity which a lot of people take part in.

Some of the factors that have been challenging for me have been...	Finding the time to exercise. I would like to prioritize physical activity but I don’t always have the time or the energy to do it.
It's important for me to be part of my community's health because...	Our health directly impacts every aspect of our lives. Taking an interest in our own health and habits can improve our health in the future and prevent us from developing chronic illnesses.
Some of the strength of my community health factors are:	Healthy eating is important to our community. Finding grocery stores and restaurants that offer healthy food choices is an easy task. There is also a big variety of activities that can be done outside, regardless of the weather.
Some of the challenges in my community regarding certain health factors are:	While Denver is relatively healthy, the high cost of living can make it harder for communities to access healthy food. A lot of factors could be negatively affecting the health of CCD students such as stress, poor nutrition, and sleep deprivation caused by school.
I believe I can help improve my community's health by...	Providing resources that can help educate others and improve health literacy.

Advancing the DREAM - What it means to me	I think a big step towards reducing or eliminating health disparities is inspiring people to learn more about their own health. Engaging people through education and through technology should be a priority for healthcare professionals.
My Action Pledge to Advance the DREAM?	As an individual who understands the importance of preventative care, I will encourage everyone around me to stay connected with their Primary Care Provider and schedule regular visits. I also want to make sure they know how to use health tools like patient portals.