URI students bring interdisciplinary health education to South Kingstown High School during wellness fair

December 9, 2025
URI students Grace Kimball, Anna Mottola, and Jill Casey test the grip strength of South Kingstown High School students during an interactive health and wellness fair at the high school on Dec. 5.
URI students Grace Kimball, Anna Mottola, and Jill Casey test the grip strength of South Kingstown High School students during an interactive health and wellness fair at the high school on Dec. 5.

University of Rhode Island students from the Colleges of Pharmacy and Health Sciences imparted some health wisdom on younger students during an interactive health and wellness fair Dec. 5 at South Kingstown High School.

About 70 URI students helped educate high school students during an interprofessional presentation involving the departments of nutrition, physical therapy and communicative disorders, in addition to pharmacy. Students prepared interactive activities and games that tackled topics like substance misuse, nutrition, injury prevention, LGBTQ health, and mental and emotional health, among others.

The URI students conducted hearing tests to determine participants’ ear age, tested their grip strength, and had their high school counterparts run through a small obstacle course after spinning them around 10 times to simulate intoxication. They imparted nutritional information about caffeine intake and sports supplements, and offered advice on depression and anxiety, sexual health, cannabis use, dating violence, sun protection, gambling, and more. The students organized games and interactive presentations, all with the goal of interacting with the high school students while helping them lead healthier lives.

URI students worked together throughout the fall semester to prepare for the fair and educate health fair attendees. For each topic, URI students tailored their information, covering the scope of the problem among teens, its impact on adolescents’ physical, social, and mental well-being, and potential risk factors. Each group also engaged participants with either a learning or a physical activity. Following the health fair, URI students will create a final policy proposal that reflects a team-based approach to preventive care in adolescents and ways to continue supporting the sustainability of health messaging within the school community.  

“This is an interprofessional event to give students in many health disciplines the chance to work in an adolescent environment and help teach high school students about health,” said pharmacy Professor Kelly Matson, one of the event’s organizers.