Pictured from l to r, Amanda Fisher, Executive Director NWVAHEC, Raeonna Stamper, Madison Jones, Raylee Cunningham, Addison Collins, Kylynn Keith, Kayleigh Cunningham, Paige Sterns, Steve Whited, CEO MHHS.
Local sophomores and juniors have been selected to participate in the Moving Onward and Upward (MOU) program through a partnership between the Northern West Virginia Area Health Education Center (NWVAHEC) and Minnie Hamilton Health System (MHHS). The program runs from January through April and provides students with hands-on exposure to careers in the health sciences.
The MOU program allows high school students to explore health care career interests through active participation in a health care setting. Students gain firsthand experience with a variety of job skills through hands-on clinical shadowing experiences and mentoring. In addition, participants become certified in CPR/First Aid and complete independent project assignments that help them learn about the education and training required for careers in health professions. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to receive a stipend and a one-year ACT or SAT test preparation course provided through The Princeton Review.
This year’s selected students represent Calhoun Middle/High School, Little Kanawha Valley Christian School, and Gilmer County High School. Students participating in this year’s program are Addison Collins, Raylee Cunningham, Kayleigh Cunningham, Madison Jones, Kylynn Keith, Raeonna Stamper, and Paige Sterns.
The mission of the Northern West Virginia Area Health Education Center is to improve access to quality health care for underserved populations by training, recruiting, and retaining health care professionals. NWVAHEC focuses on three key groups: students in grades 9–12 through pipeline programs, college-level health professions students through community-based training, and current health care professionals through continuing education.
NWVAHEC serves the following counties: Barbour, Braxton, Brooke, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Hancock, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Pleasants, Preston, Randolph, Ritchie, Taylor, Tyler, Upshur, Wetzel, Wirt, and Wood.
