Health Science Students at Sioux City Career Academy Create Sun Safety PSAs

The June E. Nylen Cancer Center (JENCC) was excited to partner with the Sioux City Career Academy during skin cancer awareness month in May to help the Health Science Pathway students have a hands-on learning project that could help decrease sunburns and in the long-term, decrease skin cancer diagnoses in Siouxland.

Here is why:

  • Melanoma is one of the top 5 cancer diagnosis in our tri-state region.

  • 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.

  • After 5 sunburns, your risk of developing skin cancer doubles.

  • Sun damage is cumulative - about 23% of your lifetime exposure occurs by age 18 and another 47% between ages 19 and 40.

  • Less than one-third of the population uses sunscreen.

The goal of the students' project was to produce a 30-second educational video (or PSA) targeting 3-5 graders or middle school students with sun safety messages that would help inform and change behaviors while young in order to decrease sun burns and thus, decrease skin cancer diagnoses long-term.

The Health Science students were divided up into 13 teams. "Critical Friends" provided feedback on each team's concept and rough version of the PSA before their final project was submitted. A winning PSA was selected and will be aired on KCAU TV 9 this summer to help promote the sun safety message.

Congratulations to all 13 teams! The selection process was tough! Each team's creativity, messaging, and use of technology was impressive. Each team should be proud of their project!

Below are all the PSAs created through this project of the Health Science Pathway students at the Sioux City Career Academy (click on image to play).

P.S. This project partnered perfectly with our “Sunscreen for Siouxland” efforts that provided free sunscreen dispensers at pools and splash pads in Woodbury, Plymouth, and Dakota counties. Read more HERE.

Winning PSA to be aired on KCAU this summer

Created by: Gwen Burnight, Ella Jepsen, Mazy Pick, and Jordayn Reising

Second Place PSA

Created by: Lacy Barger, Bella Custer, Hailey Groendyk, and Tegan Monlux

Third Place PSA

Created by: Brayden Allan, Alyssa Diaz, and Lily Larsen

Honorable Mention PSA

Created by: Brylee Hempey, Madi Mckeever, and Stacie Snyder

PSA

Created by: Angel Jimenez, Noreille Kisina Nkembi, Lady Campos Rodriguez, and Catrina Tounjian

PSA

Created by: Zakia Adam and Alexa Dewolf

PSA

Created by: Colin Casey, David Peterson, Julian Trabi, and Logan Williams

PSA

Created by: Erin Bridge, Maria Maxwell, Abrehet Negasi, and Mimi Nguyen

PSA

Created by: Lauren Clark, Lyzette De La Torre, Bailee Miller, and Autumn Pedersen

PSA

Created by: Lea Davis, Alexander Divis, and Elizabeth Newton

PSA

Created by: Aphraditie Hancock, Isabele Raveling, and Julia Snapp

PSA

Created by: Cecelia Dittman, Angel Gayetaye, Peter Nguyen, and Leybi Rogel

PSA

Created by: Kaelyn Janik, Ethan Olhausen, and Robert Stickney

 
Christie Finnegan