Monday, April 7, 2025
Photo of two UNTHSC students giving a digital presentation on a large monitor at Christene C. Moss Elementary School
The Dermatology Interest Group (DIG) at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, in collaboration with the active campus chapter of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), was recently awarded a $1,400 Good Skin Knowledge Grant from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). This generous scholarship enabled DIG and SNMA to offer a series of impactful skin health lessons to 70 students at Christene C. Moss Elementary in Fort Worth ISD, marking a significant achievement in both outreach efforts and community impact.
The program, which concluded the first week of February, was designed to teach students about skin health in a fun, informative and accessible way. The lessons covered four essential topics: the basics of skin health, acne prevention and treatment, sun safety, and the effects of insects and plants on the skin. These lessons were tailored specifically for young learners, equipping them with vital knowledge they can apply to take better care of their skin.
The success of this initiative was made possible by the hard work and dedication of
the grant writers—Cameron Stokes, Kristina Kafle, Alyssa Forsyth and Trinity Plain—who
wrote and submitted the proposal for the grant. The program was then coordinated by
Rafael DoValle and Raneem Albosstani, with additional support from a team of committed
volunteers: Eber Villazana, Stephanie White, Whitney Miller and Becka Gorrie. Their
work enabled this programming to return to HSC after several years of not occurring.
“We would like to express our deep gratitude to the AAD for their financial support and recognition of the importance of community-based skin health education,” said Kafle, who is also current DIG president. “Their grant made it possible for us to provide essential educational materials and cover the costs associated with delivering these lessons. This grant has had a direct and lasting impact on the students, empowering them to make informed decisions about caring for their skin now and in the future.”
DIG and SNMA are committed to continuing efforts to bring skin health education to underserved communities. DIG’s goal is to encourage awareness of healthy skin practices. Students involved with this group teach skin lessons in an all-inclusive skin tone way to get kids to love their skin and to love learning more about taking care of their skin.
“We believe that by empowering young people with the knowledge to take better care of their skin, we are not only promoting healthier lifestyles but also fostering a greater understanding of dermatology as a field,” Kafle said. “We’ve participated in events like the National Psoriasis Foundation, the Skin Scale Research Study and we have lessons teaching about wound care at True Worth Homeless Shelter every month.”
AAD’s ongoing commitment to fostering education and outreach programs has been instrumental in helping make this project a reality.
“Without their support, none of this would have been possible,” said Plain, SMAN chapter president. “We are excited to continue to build on this success and are looking forward to further collaborations that will have a positive impact on our community.”
From HSC Newsroom - Community by Cindy Vasquez