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Big Dreams at the Big House: A Lesson in Learning from Michigan Medicine

East Arbor Charter Academy scholars interested in helping others recently attended a youth summit at the University of Michigan meant to educate and attract students to the medical field. The event is designed to reach out to students from populations that are under-represented in health care professions.

Thirty departments from Michigan Medicine, the medical school at the university, provided students the opportunity to experience a large variety of occupations in the medical field.

“The Youth Summit provides an opportunity for middle school students to engage with medical professionals and medical students for the purpose of enabling them to see themselves in these vital and fulfilling roles,” East Arbor Instructional Paraprofessional Kristi Mawby said.

Students were able to engage in conversations with faculty and staff from Michigan Medicine in a variety of roles, from doctors and nurses, to physical therapists and scientists. They also received hands-on experiences with many of the tools and techniques used at the college and in hospitals.

“A key speaker was Dr. Kristian Black from Urology discussing the challenges he faced being the first to go to into college and medical school from his family,” she said. “Students who have previously taken the trip always say it was a highlight of their time at East Arbor.”

It was a full day for the middle school students, but a fun mix of experiences. They were able to run through the tunnel onto the famed football field, tour the exhibits and simulations, and listen to lectures by medical staff.

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About East Arbor Charter Academy
East Arbor Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Ypsilanti, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.

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