Our Mission
D-SHINES, a program dedicated to improving the health of school-aged and early childhood youth and their families in the Dearborn Public Schools district reaching 15 DPS elementary and middles schools and the district’s early childhood center. Through a combination of increased physical activity and healthy eating opportunities, garden builds, parent, principal, and teacher engagement, and policy and systems-level changes we will decrease risk factors for obesity and nutrition-related health problems and chronic diseases and create a culture of health in the Dearborn community.
Our Partners
Proudly funded through the Michigan Health Endowment Fund
Center For Health and Community Impact - Wayne State UnIVersity
Originally known as the Center for School Health and founded in 2010 after a decade of leading community health programs and conducting best practice and impact research, the Center was re-launched in 2016 as the Center for Health and Community Impact to better convey the scope and evolution of our work. Together, we are educators, clinicians, practitioners, evaluators, researchers and community leaders at Wayne State University, who are committed to advancing health and social equity at local, regional and national levels.
Dearborn Public Schools
Dearborn Public Schools is the third largest district in Michigan and is the core to D-SHINES as it is the school district that DSHINES was created for and centered around.
National KidNey Foundation
Since 1955, the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan has led the fight against kidney disease. They have enhanced the lives of many Michigan residents through our patient services, prevention programs, education programs, children’s programs and research.
Healthy Dearborn
Healthy Dearborn was launched in 2015 to address Beaumont Health’s top health challenges identified through its Community Health Needs Assessment: cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. Their mission is to create valuable opportunities for people in Dearborn to practice healthy lifestyles by enriching their minds, nurturing their bodies, and revitalizing their spirit.
University of Michigan Dearborn - Environmental Interpretive Center
The Environmental Interpretive Center’s mission is to promote human and ecosystem health and sustainability through environmental education, research, and service. Their integrated educational programs and research activities focus on raising public awareness of environmental issues and developing and implementing strategies for creating cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable communities.
ACCESS
ACCESS strives to enable and empower individuals, families and communities to lead informed, productive and culturally sensitive lives. As a nonprofit model of excellence, we honor our Arab American heritage through community-building and service to all those in need, of every heritage. ACCESS is a strong advocate for cultural and social entrepreneurship imbued with the values of community service, healthy lifestyles, education and philanthropy.
Meet Our Team
Dr. Jeanne Barcelona is an Assistant professor in Community Health at Wayne State University and is a Co-Principal Investigator for D-SHINES.
Dr. Erin Centeio is an Associate professor at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (previously at Wayne State University) and is a Co-Principal Investigator for D-SHINES.
Kowsar Hijazi, M.A., TLLP, is the Dearborn SHINES program manager and interacts with teachers, students, and families in the community.
Paige Arvidson, M.S., is a graduate research assistant in Community Health at WSU, assisting in the D-SHINES program.
Christine Pedder, M.S., is a 3rd year PhD student at Wayne State University and has worked on the DSHINES program since 2018.