The Area Health Education Center’s summer programs offered Laredo and area students of all ages camps in which to explore science, mathematics, biology, and even physics.
Older students learned about the transition from high school to college, and how to fill out college applications, write resumes, and find financial aid.
The Mini Academy — designed for rising 5th and 6th grade students — provided age appropriate enhancement in science, mathematics, health science, vocabulary development, and a systematic approach for students to set goals that include pursuing higher education.
Science and mathematics instruction was offered as an enrichment component that provided hands-on experiences applied to everyday life.
Health care careers were introduced to encourage students to begin thinking about their education and selecting a profession. A parent meeting scheduled the first and last day of the camp offered an overview of the week’s activities that included presentations by students demonstrating what they had learned. Eighty students enjoyed the Mini Academy’s diverse activities.
Summer Biomedical Enrichment Program
The Summer Biomedical Enrichment Program offered a three-day program at the University of Texas Health Science Center Laredo Regional Campus from July 10-12. High school students rotated through different activities for the first two days, experiencing simulations that dealt with one-on-one interaction with health care professionals and other guest speakers.
The third day of the program was designed as an educational field trip to Texas A&M International University and Laredo Community College to explore health career programs available in the community. Students received information on higher education STEM programs and other available studies for health careers. There were 105 program participants and 70 who participated in the educational field trip.
AHEC College Academy
This one-week summer program served as an academic enrichment camp for high school juniors and seniors to prepare them for the high school-to-college transition. The program provided 30 hours of training with attention to academic awareness, standardized test taking skills, interview skills, requirements of college admission, financial programs, and the college application process. Students left the session with improved knowledge and understanding of how to prepare for college entry. This academy took place June 5-9, and included a meeting for parents on the week’s activities as well as information on ways to help their children prepare for a higher education. Sixty-one students attended the AHEC College Academy.
AHEC Junior Academy:
The AHEC Junior Academy is designed for rising 7th and 8th grade students in a summer camp format. The Junior Academy from June 12-16, provided enhancement in science, mathematics, health science, and an approach for middle school students to think about higher education and health career programs. Instruction included hands-on activities focused on science while integrating mathematics. The students were able to partake in activities that showed them the study of muscles, bones, brain, heart, nerves, digestive system, and the skin.
In addition to the human body, students studied aspects of chemistry and physics while integrating mathematics. This curriculum encouraged awareness about careers in STEM and encouraged participants to continue to explore opportunities in higher education.
There were 77 students in attendance.
Youth Health Service Corps
The Youth Health Service Corps is a nationally recognized training program that highlights health career awareness and community service. The Corps’ goal is to enhance learned skills in leadership, confidentiality, career exploration, cultural diversity, and a sense of personal, social responsibility to serve the community through learn and serve projects.
Students were encouraged to learn about the needs of the community, identify learn and serve projects, and volunteer at a community agency. Students who completed this training will continue to participate in AHEC activities throughout the school year. This program was offered July 17-19. Sixty-four students participated in the YHSC training session; 47 Students attended the Youth Health Service–Volunteers Serving the Need Project.
AHEC Academy in La Salle and Zapata Counties:
The first AHEC academies were offered this year in Cotulla and Zapata. The outreach programs are designed to help high school students with the high school-to-college transition. The two-day program in Cotulla consisted of basic preparation for college admissions, financial programs, leadership skills and training, an SAT workshop, how to prepare a resumé, a course on time management, interviewing tips and skills, and the college application process. In addition, the students learned about the different health careers and they were able to participate in a hands-on basics of suturing.
In the Zapata Academy, the students learned about different health careers and received several workshops on time management, interviewing skills, and resume writing. The students were also able to learn about the basics of suturing and needle injection. In addition, the students in Zapata received training in Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) and are now certified responders to assist youth in crisis. Community agencies provided valuable information to the students to better assist them in finding scholarship programs that will help them pursue higher education. The two-day academy was offered in Cotulla from June 26-27, and the three-day academy in Zapata was offered June 19-21.
