One Health Education - US Initiative

Why One Health Education?

We need novel ways to bring curriculum and instruction alive to students! Incorporating One Health concepts into Science, STEM, and health will strengthen curricula and help students develop an inherent understanding of the interconnections among human, animal, and environmental health.

One Health is rooted in cross-disciplinary sharing of information, learning, and collaborations to solve and prevent critical global challenges. One Health Education can provide: 

Core Concepts of One Health for K12 Students 

1. Humans are one of millions of other species in the kingdom Animalia, and the health and well-being of people is interconnected and interdependent with the health of plants, other animals, ecosystems, and the natural (both terrestrial and aquatic) and built environments around them.

2. Human decisions can influence the health of other humans, other animals, plants, ecosystems, and our shared environments.

3. Cradle to Grave perspective and education fosters lifelong learning, personal / collective accountability, and respect for other life, attitudes, and practices of sustainability in an ever-changing world. 

4. Collaborations and cooperation (across sectors and within communities) are needed to prevent and solve Health related issues - a collaborative One Health consideration and approach is needed for optimal health and well-being for humans, other animals, plants, and ecosystems health.

Current Initiatives

One Health Education - US (OHE - US) current initiatives are focused on K12 and university level endeavors and on developing partnerships with organizations that care about furthering the One Health movement through education of students.

We welcome innovative ideas that will help further the changes needed for all students to learn the basics of One Health and encompassed topics. Education framed in One Health will keep students healthy and prepare them to think critically about how the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems are interconnected. It will prepare them to make healthy, sustainable decisions for the future world they will live in.

Are you a teacher?

Want to get involved?

Take our One Health K-12 Teacher Survey especially designed for teachers to find out more about One Health!

(Not a teacher yourself but want to check out this survey? Feel free to work your way through this 'Preview' version. It's been adapted for teachers all around the world.) 

Get Involved!

Do you have an interest in helping to raise awareness among students about One Health? You do not have to be a teacher to join the One Health Education - US Team!!

Reach out to us at OHE-US@OneHealthCommission.org

If you are in the US, please follow and join the

One Health Education- US Facebook group

We are passionate about educating teachers and students about One Health and One Health topics.

Who can join the FaceBook Group?

Anyone who has a role in educating Primary / Secondary / K12  or college students. This includes, educators, administrators, veterinarians, physicians and physician assistants, nurses, medical professionals, public health advocates, policy makers, sociologists, ….anyone!

Free K12 One Health Educational Resources

Free One Health Education Lessons compiled by the            One Health Commission  

Newly Released COVID-19 and other Lesson Plans for ages 6-18 and Teacher Support for integration created by One Health Lessons. (Can be implemented online or in a traditional classroom environment)

Learn more about One Health through these videos:

The Ties that Bind: One Health

One Health: From Concept to Action

One Health Linking Human, Animal, and Ecosystem Health

Amy LeBoeuf serves as the Chair of the US One Health Education Team and is a Louisiana Middle School Educator with over 20 years of experience. She is also the founder and director of the nonprofit Louisiana One Health in Action. Additionally,  she has helped to facilitate the International One Health for One Planet Education (1HOPE) Initiative. In 2015 her 11 year old son became sick with a mysterious illness. Nearly 2 years later a diagnosis was finally made using a One Health approach. This approach between a physician and a veterinarian saved his life. She is passionate about bringing One Health Education to students and raising awareness of the One Health concept and One Health issues that affect our communities and children. Amy holds a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies from the Texas Woman's University, and a M.Ed. in Educational Technology Leadership from Northwestern State University.

Martha Nowak has been K-12 Engagement Coordinator at K-State Olathe since July 2014. Her
prior contract with One Health Kansas gave her opportunities to deliver educational programs
across the state, and she continues with many of these partnerships today. Through outreach
events such as health and wellness fairs, career fairs, family science nights, and teacher
workshops, she emphasizes interrelationships that exist among human, animal and environmental health  that was the brand of One Health Kansas. It is natural fit after 35 years as a classroom science teacher.  Ms. Nowak holds a BS in Science Education from the University of Virginia, and a M.Ed. in Education from Baker University. She promotes STEM careers, coordinates the Vet Med Lecture series at K-State Olathe and continues to promote the concepts of One Health to educators in the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan area, focusing on educating the public about emerging and re-emerging zoonotic disease.