Empowering Teens in Public Health: GHVI Launches Student Ambassador Program in San Diego for Peer Education

August 2024

This fall, the Global HPV Vaccination Initiative (GHVI) is proud to launch its new Student Ambassador Program, a peer-to-peer health education initiative being rolled out in high schools across San Diego County as a service club.

The program empowers students to lead conversations around the importance of HPV vaccination, cancer prevention, and youth health advocacy—with the goal of expanding nationwide in 2025

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First San Diego Partner: The Boys Institute

GHVI is also proud to announce The Boys

Age-appropriate talks for young men about sexual health

Institute as the first youth-focused partner to support the program’s launch. Known for its groundbreaking work with adolescent boys through its Big Talk curriculum, The Boys Institute is helping initiate vital conversations about sexual health and now includes information about HPV prevention for boys—a topic too often left out of the vaccine dialogue.

The HPV vaccine is for everyone, and boys need to hear that directly. GHVI is excited to have an educational partner for young men to be informed and protected!

Together, GHVI and The Boys Institute are creating culturally sensitive, age-appropriate programming that resonates with teens, especially those in underserved communities.

Why Peer Education Works

Research continues to show that peer-to-peer health education is not just effective—it’s transformative. Adolescents are more likely to change behavior and trust public health messages when those messages come from someone their age.

• A 2024 study found that peer-led HPV education boosted students' knowledge scores from 1.14 to 23.78 on a standardized scale (PubMed).

• A systematic review in BMC Public Health confirmed peer-based approaches increase vaccine acceptance and reduce stigma in adolescent populations.

  
  

HPV Vaccination: A Shared Responsibility

HPV (Human Papillomavirus) causes 90% of cervical cancers, as well as a growing number of oropharyngeal and anal cancers in all genders. It’s the most common STI in the world, and one that the CDC says 85% of Americans will contract in their lifetime.

Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, only 61% of U.S. teens have completed the HPV vaccine series. Rates are even lower in many marginalized and rural communities.

In addition to preventing six types of cancer, increasing HPV vaccination rates has been linked to improved long-term public health outcomes and reduced economic strain on families and healthcare systems.

What Student Ambassadors Will Do

Students who join the GHVI Student Ambassador Program as part of their school’s new service club will:

• Host classroom talks and campus campaigns

• Share trusted resources and fact-based content

• Organize school-wide events, like HPV Awareness Week

• Partner with school nurses and community clinics to promote vaccine access

• Serve as peer mentors and changemakers

In return, ambassadors receive formal training, volunteer hours, and the opportunity to join GHVI’s national leadership network in 2025.

How to Get Involved

San Diego schools and students can apply now to join or host a GHVI Student Ambassador Club at👉 www.vaccinateagainstcancer.org/become-an-ambassador

This Is Just the Beginning

By launching the Student Ambassador Program as a service club, GHVI is giving young people a platform to lead, educate, and protect their communities. Thanks to early champions like The Boys Institute, this new generation of health ambassadors is helping normalize HPV prevention for everyone—boys and girls alike.

San Diego is more than a pilot city. It’s the starting point for a youth-powered movement to end HPV-related cancer.

Let’s get to work. 💪