VetaHumanz Need Vaccines Too!

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT T he parent grant, See Us-Be Us, responds to critical gaps in K-1 2 ST EM education, by increasing (1 ) v isibility of veterinary role models diverse in race and ethnicity, (2) access to veterinary STEM educational materials, and (3) access to experiential learning opportunities. Since the start of funding on September 1, 2020, the veterinary STEM ecosystem proposed in the parent grant has expanded beyond academia by transforming into a veterinary superhero league, The League of VetaHumanz. VetaHumanz are human beings (veterinarians) with superpowers who protect animal and public health. As a nation, we face the challenge of increasing vaccine acceptance by underserved populations who have been disproportionately impacted by SARS-CoV-2, lack access to healthcare, and have a longstanding mistrust of medical establishments resulting from a history abuse and exploitation. This administrative supplement, VetaHumanz Need Vaccines Too!, aims to promote SARS-CoV-2 vaccination uptake in underserved communities by educating children and their families on the importance of vaccination, empowering children to becoming advocates for vaccination, and inspiring children to explore veterinary careers that impact public health. Our focus on early elementary school children is innovative because we have an opportunity to educate underserved children who have not yet developed a long-term mistrust of our medical system. In the short term, children can positively impact the health of their communities by advocating for vaccination. In the long term, children can change the narrative by aspiring to become veterinary scientists that better represent the US population and are worthy of public trust. We hypothesize that after becoming informed about vaccines and the importance of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, children will actively promote vaccination in their communities and aspire to become veterinarians. This supplement has three specific aims. T he focus of Aim 1 is to dev elop a Vaccine SuperPower Pack. Vaccine SuperPower Packs will contain educational materials for children about the importance of vaccines. Packs will also encourage pursuit of veterinary careers and communication of scientific knowledge by featuring the superhero veterinary scientist who hosts the VetaHumanz Live! podcast. Aim 2 is focused on promoting SARS- CoV-2 vaccination by featuring veterinarians who have been involved in the response to SARS-CoV-2 through the VetaHumanz Live! podcast which will be broadcast through our website and community events. Aim 3 promotes SARS-CoV-2 vaccination through a League of VetaHumanz social media campaign. Our League of VetaHumanz, a far-reaching, inclusive veterinary STEM ecosystem consisting of veterinary professionals, veterinary students, and community entities serving disadvantaged youth, will provide the frameworkfor distribution of educational resources and messaging. VetaHumanz will educate children as well as model being vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2 on social media campaigns, because even superheroes need vaccines.