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Livingston High students describe hospital-volunteering VolunTEEN pathway; teachers and trustees praise hands-on experience
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Summary
Students and teachers from Livingston High described the new VolunTEEN program (funded by a We Will grant) that places students at Dignity Health Mercy Hospital for multi-hour clinical shadowing, reporting experiences including observing surgeries, intubations and helicopter transfers; teachers noted scholarship awards and college-credit and CTE alignment.
Principal Jolley introduced Livingston High School's Health Careers Pathway and asked program staff to highlight a new VolunTEEN hospital-volunteering cohort.
Mrs. Galdoz (presenter) summarized the pathway structure (one introductory course, three concentrators, three capstones) and said approximately 400 students participate in the pathway. Teacher Edith Hernandez described the VolunTEEN program, funded by the We Will grant, as a partnership with UC Merced and Dignity Health Mercy Hospital that assigns students to 168 hours of volunteer hospital experience, provides scholarship opportunities and offers shadowing across inpatient, ER and surgical settings. Hernandez said Livingston High received three of the four local We Will scholarships.
Students gave first-person accounts: Karen Jocar said she accumulated more than 150 volunteer hours and observed surgeries and clinical skills under supervision; Rajvir described assisting with trauma patients and riding in a medical helicopter transfer and later serving as volunteer leader for the next cohort. Board members asked about CNA certification vs. the VolunTEEN credentialing; staff clarified the hospital experiences were part of the VolunTEEN program rather than CNA certification. Trustees praised the program as a model to address Central Valley health-care workforce shortages and encouraged students to pursue continuing education.
The presentation concluded with principal and board praise; no board action was required.
