The future of health care was on display yesterday at Chapel Hill High School as CHRISTUS Health hosted its Rise Up Opportunity Fair. This event showcased various departments within hospitals and connected students with professionals, offering a closer look into the health care career field.
“This is our fourth year doing this, and we’ve been at Chapel Hill every year,” Dee Dee Fowler shared. “I love seeing the students learn about different healthcare careers. So many kids think healthcare means only nurses or doctors, but there’s so much more they can do!”
Fowler serves as the coordinator for this event and was eager for students to understand the many opportunities that are available to them.
“After the Academies at Chapel Hill, students can immediately graduate and get a job,” continued Fowler. “If they choose the college route, students can get a two or four year degree and be working right away.”
For CHHS health science teacher Brianna Simmons, this event is a chance to broaden the horizons for students.
“This event is important for health science kids because it opens up their eyes to see that they don’t need a twelve year degree to work in a hospital,” Simmons said. “The Rise Up Opportunity Fair brings people who are actually working in health care right onto our own home turf and allows the kids to network.”
From laboratory technicians and radiology to EMT and Life Flight attendants, students interacted with a broad range of professionals.
“This event makes an impact because the students get to see real people in these jobs and ask questions,” shared Laura Helm, CHHS Associate Principal. “CHRISTUS is a wonderful community partner and we are so grateful for the way this event exposes our students to what the healthcare industry really looks like.”
Click here to view more images from the event:
https://chapelhill.smugmug.com/Events-at-CHHS-26-27/CHRISTUS-Health-Rise-Up-Opportunity-Fair