SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The World Is Our Classroom, a local nonprofit, received the $150,000 ARPA money which is now supporting their Medical Encounter Pathway Program that serves Springfield Public School students.
The program is providing simulation lab patients to create real-world experience in a simulated healthcare setting. On Friday, students from Springfield Central High School were in attendance to experience one of those simulated labs at Holyoke Community College.
“Our goal is to work with up to 1,200 Springfield public high school students every year to bring them to the five different pathway programs, to show them different opportunities,” said Nora Patton, Executive Director of the World Is Our Classroom.
“There’s a huge opportunity in the work force to fill STEM fields and often times students shy away from that. So the exposure and experience with those fields the earlier, the better to increase interest and excitement around the fields,” said George Timmons, President of HCC.
In addition to Health Care, the other four different pathways that Springfield High School students will be getting first-hand experience at are Transportation Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Clean Energy, and Biotech, Biomed, and Biomanufacturing.
This whole program is another way the city, college, and nonprofit are continuing their work to promote STEM work.
Heath Kalb is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Heath on X @HeathKalb and view his bio to see more of his work.
