The Rotary Impact program launched in 2022 with the goal of supporting students with plans to pursue higher education for careers needed in the community. At their Tuesday meeting the Hopkinsville Rotary Club announced that they will be launching a healthcare pathway program for local high school students.
The healthcare pathway is the third to be offered in the Rotary Impact program after the teaching and agriculture pathways. The pathway was created in a partnership between the Rotary Club, Jennie Stuart Medical Center, Christian County Public Schools and Hopkinsville Community College.
Former Rotary Club President, Andrew Wilson shared that the healthcare pathway will provide a streamlined nursing program for students. Starting in high school, students will enroll in dual credit courses and get hands on nursing experience at Jennie Stuart Medical Center. After graduating, students will be certified nursing assistants and transition to Hopkinsville Community College’s two-year nursing program.
Wilson also shared that students in the pathway will receive scholarships to help them with textbook and tuition costs.
Rotarian and educator, Kelly Gates says in 2020 CCPS and Jennie Stuart Health started working together when they saw the nursing shortages across the state and country as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the addition of the Rotary Impact pathway to the partnership, students will receive more financial support and acceptance to the Community College’s nursing program. Following high school graduation students will be able to become registered nurses in two years instead of three years.
Penny Knight, the principal of Gateway Academy, thanked all of the organizations that made the pathway possible to not only help students, but the community as well by responding to healthcare worker shortages.
Eric Lee, the president of Jennie Stuart Medical Center expressed his excitement for the impact the Rotary Impact healthcare pathway can have on students and the community. Lee talked about the future of the workforce as the baby boomer generation starts to retire.
Lee says as a generation of workers move into retirement and require more medical care, the following generation will have to take on their workload and possibly respond to higher healthcare demands. Therefore, it is important to make careers in healthcare accessible and attractive.
The Rotary Impact healthcare pathway currently serves to engage students interested in nursing, but looking toward the future, Gates says this program has the potential to expand into other medical fields.
Starting in the 2024-2025 school year local sophomore high school students will be able to apply to enroll in the Rotary Impact healthcare pathway.