Jobs in health care are always in demand, so Avera Health has turned to the Sioux Falls School District to partner on a unique endeavor. Now in its sixth session, the Avera Academy continues to help local high school students open the door to a future in health care.
“The Avera Academy is an opportunity for high school seniors to get a chance to spend time at Avera on Fridays learning different environments, seeing different roles and action, and really getting a chance to be immersed into health care and help figure out what pathway they want to consider in the future,” said Sarah Siemonsma, administrator for the Avera Academy.
“My counselor told me about Avera Academy and I was like, "Yeah, I want to do that," because I didn't know what I wanted to do in the medical field. My counselor told me it was a way for me to explore my options before I make a decision,” said Rakiya Stocklin, a current student in Avera Academy.
Career Planning at Avera
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Exploring Health Care Roles Beyond Nurse or Doctor
“So we get to see everything. A lot of times high school students think, 'Oh, I'm not sure about health care.' Maybe they know they don't want to be a nurse or doctor, but the goal of this program is to show them that it's not just those roles. Health care is so many things, whether they want to be with patients directly or if they want to be supporting that from the background, we help to immerse them in all of those different experiences and see all of those different areas. We want to help them figure out what they want to be. We also want to figure out where they want to be, and then hopefully they want to be part of Avera,” said Siemonsma
“I'm Hairiya and I graduated from Avera Academy in 2020,” said Hairiya Goura, who is still employed as a nurse at Avera Medical Group McGreevy 69th and Western.
“I just love being a nurse. I love helping people. I like seeing our patients come back and they feel better,” said Goura. “So with Avera Academy, I got the opportunity to get a full-ride scholarship for my LPN program, which I am truly grateful for because I'm unsure how I would have paid for college. So right now I'm continuing with my RN and this is going to be my last year. So yeah, I am truly grateful. I honestly don't know how I could have done it without Avera Academy."
Avera Academy Is 'Opportunity You Should Not Pass Up'
“Hi, my name is Maks and I'm a 2021 Avera Academy graduate,” said Maksym Pylypchuk.
“I've been here at the Avera Addiction Care Center for about three years now working full-time and I work on the reception team. So I'm the first voice people hear when they give us a call and I'm the first face they see when they actually come to admit,” said Pylpchuk.
“Avera Academy has benefited me not just in high school, but every day since then. I would not have had this job. I would not have had my internships and I would not have had many of the scholarships that I have now in college if I had not gone to the Avera Academy. It's one of the best and most incredible experiences I've ever had. And it's just, it's an opportunity that you should not pass up,” said Pylpchuk.
“I would say the biggest thing I tell all students is: just put yourself out there. Ask about different opportunities and experience different things as much and as often as you can. Have conversations with people, like your high school counselors,” said Siemonsma.
“I think anyone should do this program because I think this will really help them determine whether they actually like the medical field or not. Because some people could go into it and then not like it and I think this is a good way for them to practice and just know what kind of fields there are,” said Stocklin.
“We have a lot of interest in this program because it is so amazing and it's just such an awesome and unique experience for students and not only for themselves but for their family members, their friends. They can share those experiences that they've had and it changes their lives,” said Siemonsma.
Since the program began, more than 90% of graduates have continued on and found jobs in health care. A large majority of those graduates have found a home in the Avera Health system. Avera Academy is a partnership with the Sioux Falls School District and Southeast Technical College.
Read more stories about Avera employees and career planning.
