Suggested Stories: Global Health

CHOOSE YOUR STORY

Global Health includes stories about health science, inequities, mental health, outbreaks and epidemics, food security, clean water, and more. Explore the stories below to find one that moves you. Then, use this worksheet to support you with writing your Fighting Words poem.

CONTEST GUIDELINES

Stories for Grades 3 and Up

Story	Media	Publication	Content Warnings
“Public Health Impact of the Drainage System in Lagos: A Photo Essay” by Precious Williams	Photo, Text	Pulitzer Center	N/A
“How Nurses Overcome Challenges While Treating Patients With Limited English Proficiency” by William Brangham and Caleb Hellerman	Video with transcript	PBS NewsHour	N/A
“This ‘Super Banana’ Was Designed To Save Lives. Will It Matter That It’s Orange?” by Agostino Petroni	Text	National Geographic	N/A

Stories for Grades 6 and Up

Story	Media	Publication	Content Warnings
“Neglected and Exposed: Toxic Air Lingers in a Texas Latino Community, Revealing Failures in State’s Air Monitoring System” by Alejandra Martinez and other journalists	Video, Photo, Text	The Texas Tribune	N/A
“Softly Into the Night: An End of Life Love Story” by Joseph Scheller	Photo, Text	Montana Standard	N/A
“The Government Spends Millions To Open Grocery Stores in Food Deserts. The Real Test is Their Survival.” by Molly Parker and Julia Rendleman	Photo, Text	Capitol News Illinois	N/A
“‘I Just Don’t Want To Die’: Black Pregnant Women Are Turning to Midwives for Personalized Care—And a Better Chance at Survival” by Karen Kasmauski and Louis Hansen	Photo, Audio, Text	Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism	N/A
“Photos: How Older Adults Navigate Their Health Care Needs in Rural America” by Tim Evans and Juliana Kim	Photo, Text	NPR	N/A
“How a Tobacco Giant Changed a Global Anti-Tobacco Treaty” by Jason McClure and Stanley Leung	Video	The Examination	Brief disturbing images (anti-smoking PSA)
“Toxic Water in S. Texas Colonias Costs Residents Precious Health and Money” by Carolina Cuellar	Audio, Text	Texas Public Radio	N/A
“Lebanon: Drama Therapist Helps Inmates With Mental Illnesses While Pushing for Reform” by Meera Santhanam	Photo, Text	Middle East Eye	N/A

Stories for Grades 9 and Up

Story	Media	Publication	Content Warnings
“Could a Conflict-Borne Superbug Bring On Our Next Pandemic?” by Eli Cahan	Text	Rolling Stone	Descriptions of suffering from injuries and illness
“How the World’s Deadliest Crises Go Unseen” by Amy Maxmen	Photo, Text	Undark Magazine	Descriptions of violence
“How To Recover When a Climate Disaster Destroys Your City” by Mariana Lenharo	Photo, Text	Nature	N/A
“A Dad and His Teenager Are Talking Openly About Suicide. And They Say Your Family Should Too” by Deepa Fernandes, Ashley Locke, Julia Corcoran, and Grace Griffin	Audio	WBUR 90.9 fm	Discussion of suicide and self-harm
“Why Are Alaska’s Rivers Turning Orange?” by Alec Luhn	Photo, Text	Scientific American	N/A
“The Vice of Spice: Confronting Lead-Tainted Turmeric” by Wudan Yan	Photo, Text	Undark Magazine	N/A
“6 Stories Show the Human Toll of Poland’s Strict Abortion Laws” by Anna Pamula and Kasia Strek	Photo, Text	TIME	Mention of sexual violence
“Toxic Air, Limited Care: The Cost of Motherhood in Gary, Indiana” by Jenae Barnes	Video, Photo, Text	Capital B Gary	N/A
“Love in the Time of Sickle Cell Disease” by Krithika Varagur	Text	Harper’s Magazine	N/A
“‘You Can’t Gangster a Horse’: Native Youth Connect With Culture To Break Cycles of Addiction” by Elyse Wild	Photo, Text	Native News Online	Discussion of drug abuse and overdose
“Those Who Don’t Exist: Long COVID in Mexico” by Alice Pipitone and Quetzalli Blanco	Video, Photo, Text	palabra.	N/A