Oct. 9, 2024
“Halfway through my sophomore year, I started doing research on different career pathways so that I could have even the slightest idea of what I could see myself doing because it felt like nothing would be a good fit. At the time, I had no idea I wanted to go into the healthcare field nor had I even thought about it. But around two months later, after imagining myself in a million different jobs, I realized that the career that calls to me is nursing. I grew up going out of my way to do things for people, trying to be helpful even in the slightest, and always going above and beyond when I didn’t need to. I still do those things today.
The reason I wanted to go into nursing is so I can take that passion and make a difference. The idea of being able to make what might be someone’s most vulnerable or difficult day into something just even a little more positive, whether it’s through a simple act of kindness or contributing to fostering a safe environment for them to feel understood, heard and taken care of, that’s what made me come to the conclusion that I wanted to learn further about the medical field. I wanted to learn about different nursing positions. So when I found out about The Alliance and all the amazing learning opportunities it offers, I signed up to officially enroll that same day.
Being able to graduate with college credits, as well as become a certified nursing assistant by the age of 17, is honestly something so surreal to me, and being a part of The Alliance is such an honor. In the short amount of time since school officially started, I have already formed so many strong and special connections with my peers due to the fact that it’s such a tight-knit community, where we are all in it together.
Within the CNA and EMT portion, there are 13 of us who have the same classes together all day, every day, so it’s hard to choose just one memorable experience. I look forward to going to school every day and I find myself wishing my classes were longer. I have never been a person who looks forward to school, but The Alliance has completely changed my perspective. Every day at The Alliance is a memorable experience.
One of the things that The Alliance offers is the opportunity to shadow different specialties, attend clinicals and partake in a load of valuable, hands-on learning experiences. The chance to be a part of something so innovative is truly going to impact my future career as a nurse, since I am able to see first hand what the medical field is like. I’m figuring out what I’m interested in right now versus what I couldn’t see myself doing for a million years.
This alone allows me to be better equipped when I graduate high school and determine what my next steps are to follow my dreams of becoming a nurse. I personally learn best by both physically practicing what is taught to me and visually learning concepts, so I am very grateful that this program came into my life at the right time. The teachers and staff genuinely care about my success and want all of us to reach our full potential.
I truly believe that all these factors combined are going to set me up for success in so many ways.
What excites me most about The Alliance is the fact that we are all learning and growing together. We’re able to support each other throughout this amazing experience, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of such a life-changing program.” - Sophia Lemons, Parkview High School junior, Class 1 Alliance student. Shared on Sept. 19, 2024 at the Alliance Board of Directors Meeting.
