Nearly 200 young adults and community leaders in the Philippines participated in a sports and health leadership camp hosted by the global nonprofit Meeting TENTS, including Biola University students and faculty. 

Image shows the team from Biola
The team from Biola who went on the trip

“I’m so proud of our public health students as I get to watch them grow spiritually and academically when they serve in the field,” said Dr. Danielle Walker, co-program chair of the kinesiology and public health programs at Biola.

This summer, a team of B.S. in Public Health and Master of Public Health students, student athletes, alumni, faculty and staff from Biola’s School of Science, Technology and Health embarked on a public health trip to the Philippines. Led by Walker, Biola partnered with local institutions to equip the local community in health education.

image shows children from the camp and some Biola team members
A few Biola team members pose with some of the students they worked with

A group of Biola public health students were selected to attend the trip as interns after completing a 10-week training. The student athletes, staff and faculty from Biola came as volunteers.

The team of 18 put on a sports and health leadership camp for youth and young adults in partnership with the community leaders in Davao City. While the youth had fun learning sports from college athletes, they were also trained in important health education topics and leadership principles.

Walker has been traveling to this region in the Philippines to work with tribes consistently for the last eight years. 85% of her research (i.e., research design, grant writing, data analysis, manuscripts and publications) is conducted here. She runs Meeting TENTS which led to partnerships with the FCCDI, Philippines Department of Health, Davao City Government, Metro Vineyard Davao, Assumption College, Ateneo de Davao University, Barangay Captains and the Badjao community leaders.

The idea of a youth sports camp came through Walker’s ongoing partnerships with the community in Davao and her desire to continue building relationships and trust with the tribes. Her hope is that such engagement with the young people in the community will help raise up the next generation to lead and care for their communities well.

The entire team spent months developing the program of physical games of health education material based on appropriate theories and models. The camp ended with a worship night and the team had an opportunity to speak at five local church services.

Opportunities like this can be opened through applying for a public health degree in Biola’s School of Science, Technology and Health.

Written by Katelyn Ho, strategic communications assistant. For more information, contact Media Relations at media.relations@biola.edu.