Promoting Adolescent and School Health: Perspectives and Future Directions - Delivered as an AAHE Scholar Address

Oct 15, 2026

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Annual address by Robert F. Valois delivered at the American Association for Health Education (AAHE) Annual National Meeting in Philadelphia, focusing on adolescent and school health. The narrative explains how scholarly recognition and influence arise through pluralistic mentorship, professional colleagues, and personal experiences. It then frames early life in Elmira, New York, as a supportive “village” and expands the idea that healthy development depends on coordinated care from families, neighborhoods, schools, and society.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Promoting Adolescent and School Health: Perspectives and Future Directions

AAHE Scholar recognition and scholarly influences

Early influences: My village

It takes a whole village

Continuing Education AAHEScholar Address Promoting Adolescent and School Health: Perspectives and Future Directions Robert F. Valois This address was delivered at the Annual National Meeting of the American Association for Health Education, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance in Philadelphia, PA, on April 4, 2003. The process and privilege of becoming an AAHE Scholar does not develop in a vacuum; the influences are pluralistic. Consider my faculty at the State University of New York, College at Brockport in the late 1970s: Bill Zimmerli, Bob Gold, Mary Sutherland, Dave Duncan, Dave Bedworth, and Jim Eddy, among other excellent health educators. Venturing to the University of Illinois sight-unseen, I studied with seasoned veterans: Bill Creswell, Don Stone, Tom O’Rourke, and Dave Macrina, in additionto classmates Fred Peterson and Mike Hoadley, who challenged my thinking. Completion of a postdoctoral fellowship with Richard Windsor at the UAB-Medical Center, School of Public Health was another excellent experience. Influential colleagues at the University of South Carolina include Murray Vincent, Roger Sargent, J. Wanzer Drane, and Scott Huebner, in addition to graduate students Silas Pearman, Ashley Aull, Scott Winnail, John Oeltmann, and Keith Zullig, who challenged me as often as I challenged them. In retrospect, my high school coaches were correct in stating that,“luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” I have been most fortunate to have studied under some of the best and worked with a number of other outstanding health educators. Suffice to say, I am humbled by this recognition and have experienced a certain level of anxiety in regard to addressing an audience of my peers. After exploring and discarding various topics, I did what most health education scholars would do by conducting a focus group (n=1) with a fellow health educator. In turn, Sandy Kammermann Valois provided guidance and direction. Her conclusion: “It’s simple; you have to talk about what you know and what you love.” In turn, the “piece de resistance” ofwhat I have cometo knowand love over the past 23 years involves the promotion of adolescent and school health. EARLY INFLUENCES: MY VILLAGE Elmira, NY, was a thriving blue-collar, gray-steel town, surrounded by hills and dairy farms (pop. 35–40,000) in the 1950s,‘60s, and most of the ‘70s. The post-WWII economy enabled supporting most families with one income. Major employers included American La France; Kennedy Valve; Thatcher Glass; Remington Rand; American Bridge; Bendix Brakes; the Pennsylvania Railroad; Ann Page (A&P) Foods; two hospitals; four high schools; Elmira College; and the Elmira Reformatory. The baby boom was in full swing, and most families had both parents present and functioning effectively. Exceptions were accidental and premature deaths, with divorce somewhat uncommon. Corner grocery stores and neighborhood taverns often had ethnic identities, and places of worship represented Robert F. Valois, MS, PhD, MPH, FASHA, FAAHB, is a professor in Health Promotion, Education & Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina 29208; E-mail: [RFValois@gwm.sc.edu](RFValois@gwm.sc.edu) Robert F. Valois most denominations. Our schools were small, public and private, with curriculums moving at a manageable academic pace, accompanied by reasonable standardized testing and extracurricular activities. We usually walked to school or rode our bicycles, weather permitting. My experience involved surviving 12 years of Catholic school and living to tell the stories (regarding nuns, priests, altar boy duties, CYO sports, et al.). The “Southside”of Elmira was flavored by railroads, small steel foundries, and middle class families of mostly Irish, Italian, and Polish decent. Home systems managers (aka stay-at-home moms) kept a close watch on the neighborhoods during the week and used (low-tech

FAQs

Where and when was the address delivered?

The address was delivered at the AAHE Annual National Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, on April 4, 2003.

What does Valois emphasize about becoming an AAHE Scholar?

He emphasizes that becoming a scholar develops through pluralistic influences—faculty, mentors, colleagues, and formative experiences, rather than in isolation.

How does the document connect the “village” idea to adolescent and school health?

It argues that children and adolescents thrive when families, neighborhoods, schools, and society provide coordinated support, extending an African proverb to modern conditions.

Oct 15, 2026

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