Jasmine Velasquez, student at Dilley High School, makes a mold impression with stone of an ideal set of teeth during the dental hygiene department visit on Monday, July 17. Tina Stein, R.D.H., B.S., clinical instructor of dental hygiene, assists her.
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The South Central Area Health Education Center (AHEC), a division of the Center for South Texas Programs, partnered with the School of Allied Health Sciences last week to welcome 19 South Texas high school students to the second annual CATCH (Community Approach to Careers in Health) Academy.

A one-week camp, the CATCH Academy is designed for select students and their teachers. The academy not only teaches leadership skills and introduces students to a health science center environment, it also introduces them to specific allied health topics.

The same schools that participated in last year’s academy took part in the activities again this year. The schools include Alexander Magnet High School in Laredo, Dilley High School, Fredericksburg High School and South San Antonio High School.

“Most of these students were already involved with health career programs that their peers developed at the CATCH Academy last year,” said Kimberly Ferguson, health careers opportunity program coordinator in the AHEC and primary coordinator of the academy. “They all have strong leadership skills and a lot of potential.”

The students spent the week participating in hands-on activities and learning the importance of the allied health careers by visiting nine departments at the School of Allied Health Sciences. Their exposure to the allied health field allowed each group to develop unique community projects. They were also able to build upon the foundation of the health career clubs established last year at their schools.

Teachers also took part in the academy throughout the week. They learned how to assist the students in marketing the clubs. They will also supervise the students and their programs once they return to their schools.

Students from South San Antonio High School present their final project on the last day of the academy.

The CATCH Academy is a longitudinal approach to incorporating health careers into schools. Health Science Center allied health students will serve as mentors to the high school students throughout the academic school year. The students will return next spring to give an update of their projects.

The CATCH Academy was made possible by many individuals, including Douglas Murphy, Ph.D., associate dean for the School of Allied Health Sciences; Tina Fields, Ph.D., M.P.H., interim director for South Texas Programs; Sherry K. Snider, M.P.H., program director for South Texas AHEC; Paula Winkler, M.Ed., director of South Central AHEC; Kimberly Ferguson, C.H.E.S., health careers opportunities program coordinator; and Vanessa Alicea, community health intern at the South Central AHEC from Texas A&M University.