A3.01 - Oral Session: From Pilot to Practice: Implementing a Student-led Clean Air Project in Mississippi Schools

Presenter: Dylan A. Barker – Graduate Research Assistant, University of Mississippi Author: Annina R. Liebner – Graduate Assistant, University of Mississippi Author: Ashley W. White-Jones, PhD, MPH, CHES – Instructional Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi Author: Allison Ford-Wade, PhD, MS – Interim Chair and Professor of Public Health, University of Mississippi

Brief Abstract Summary: Learn how undergraduate public health students designed and implemented a low-cost indoor air quality intervention in Mississippi classrooms. Through the University of Mississippi Clean Air Project, students partnered with teachers and parents to assemble 50 Corsi–Rosenthal Boxes and deliver classroom lessons on environmental health. Attendees will gain insights into student-led project design, strategies for engaging schools, and lessons for replicating clean air initiatives in under-resourced communities.

Detailed abstract description: Poor indoor air quality is a hidden but critical determinant of student health, school attendance, and academic performance. Underserved schools, particularly in the rural South, often lack resources to address these issues. To bridge this gap, the University of Mississippi Clean Air Project (UM-CAP), funded by the Stamps Impact Prize, piloted a student-led initiative to improve classroom air quality while training the next generation of public health leaders.

Undergraduate students took the lead in project planning, partnership building, and implementation. In collaboration with teachers and administrators, they organized interactive classroom sessions, guided students in constructing 50 Corsi–Rosenthal Boxes, and deployed the air filters in a local elementary school. Public school teachers and administrators were engaged throughout to encourage sustainability and foster community buy-in.

Initial outcomes demonstrated measurable reductions in airborne particulate matter, enhanced classroom comfort, and increased both teacher and student awareness of the health benefits of clean air. Just as importantly, undergraduate participants reported improved confidence in leadership, teamwork, and applied practice skills, underscoring the dual value of the project as both a public health intervention and a workforce development model.

This presentation will highlight practical lessons for replicating low-cost environmental health interventions in other underserved school systems. Attendees will learn strategies for coordinating across school and community stakeholders, tailoring environmental health messages for diverse audiences, and embedding student leadership in program design. By connecting grassroots innovation with community needs, this project offers a scalable model for advancing both environmental justice and experiential training in public health.