Program to Connect Students With Health Care Careers
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis-based Starfish Initiative is partnering with Indianapolis Public Schools on a program to educate underserved high school students about careers in health care. The four-year program will include internships, networking events and job skills training.
March 3, 2015
News Release
Indianapolis, Ind. — This fall, Starfish Initiative, an Indianapolis nonprofit mentoring organization, in conjunction with Indianapolis Public Schools will launch a new program designed to prepare students for careers in health care and medical fields through partnerships with local businesses and employers. Up to 25 incoming freshmen at Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School will start the four-year program, which will provide firsthand experience to learn about and explore a wide spectrum of potential career paths.
“Many students, especially those with limited resources, have few opportunities for hands-on exposure to what career opportunities are available to them,” said Bob Kizer, president and CEO of Starfish Initiative. “Through this program, these students will be able to discover a career they are passionate about, prepare for their postsecondary education and make significant connections with local businesses.”
Throughout high school, these students will experience structured, purposeful interactions with medical professionals in the form of internships and job shadowing opportunities, networking events, workshops, and job skills training. By the time they graduate from Crispus Attucks, each student will be thoroughly prepared to choose an appropriate course of study in college, and build the foundation for a successful career. At the same time, local businesses and employers gain an opportunity to reach talented, motivated youth from the next generation of Indiana’s workforce.
“Strong community partnerships are one of the keys to success for our students,” said Superintendent Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee. “This initiative will provide a wealth of opportunities for students to learn about potential careers while networking with local professionals, giving them a real-life look at what’s possible for their future.”
The Crispus Attucks program will enrich Starfish Initiative’s existing mentoring program, which provides promising students who, due to the barriers of living in poverty and an array of socio-economic challenges, are at disproportionate risk for attending college, let alone finishing a postsecondary degree. Starfish Initiative is Indianapolis’s leading college access program providing four continuous years of one-on-one mentoring support from college-educated mentors, providing students with the resources and support they need to graduate high school, prepare for a meaningful college experience, and achieve career success.
Developed by Starfish Initiative, this new specialty career focus is the collaborative result of strong partnerships with Indianapolis Public Schools and Starfish Initiative Corporate Allies in the health and medical industries, most notably Indiana University Health. Funding for the four year cohort has been provided by USA Funds, the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Fund, the Central Indiana Community Foundation, the Hoover Family Foundation, and Indiana University Health.
Source: Starfish Initiative