Ep 41 | Kids Working in the Health Clinic? Empowering the Next Generation

SPEAKER_02 0:00

What has the reaction of the parents been? Oh my goodness. So I try to send as many pictures as I can. I'm getting calls like they told me they had to wear their uniforms to school. Do they have to wear their uniforms today? I'm like, not today. And they have scrubs and lab coats. Yes. They are professional because they are working in our office with patients. Um they're taking blood pressure, so they should look the part too.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Welcome to the Voices United in Education podcast. Each week we showcase the teachers, administrators, and community members who go the extra mile to contribute to the success of every student in Escambia County. You'll meet the real people behind the titles and learn about the amazing resources to support every student's success. When you're a kid, a lot of decisions are made for you. It's not a bad thing considering, you know, your brain is still growing. But as a parent, as you make these decisions, you also hope to instill confidence and empowerment along the way. So how do you, a busy, decision-making, notably tired parent, ride the line of empowerment and leadership? Well, you don't do it alone. My next guests are the principal at CAWES Elementary School and the Medical Assistant Patient Service Advisor for the Community Health Clinic within it. Yes, a community clinic within an elementary school. Not only is the arrangement unique, but so are its staff. In addition to adult medically trained professionals, you'll also see third, fourth, and fifth graders assisting the patients and office in its operation. Today, they're going to talk about the reason for this arrangement, how it works, and the impact it's having on the students and patients. Building strength through partnership and participation, CAY's Super Duo, Dr. Kimberly Thomas and Barbara Hayes. Thanks for being here. Thank you. Y'all are the super duo. So, Dr. Thomas, parents who've been listening since the start of the show might feel like, hmm, C A Y, COY. That sounds familiar. That's because in episode 12, we talked about how the school was the first elementary level school for this community partnership program in the whole state of Florida, which it just blows my mind. And in that episode, I described it kind of as a super Walmart, which is a good explanation, but I just feel like you could probably more eloquently describe it to help people understand. So can you share why the partnership is special and how kind of the community clinic is tied into it?

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Sure. We are a partnership school. We have four partners with the Ascambi County Public School District being one, Community Health Northwest Florida, number two, Children's Home Society number three, and of course University of West Florida. And we all work in a collaborative manner to make sure that we are meeting our students' needs. As a matter of fact, we're having a cabinet meeting today to just give updates and to just hear from each other to make sure that we are attending to students' educational needs, social, emotional needs, health needs, and just really the whole child. I mean, that's what we focus on. We are a one-stop shop. We focus on food insecurities. If a child is experiencing, you know, uh mental health issues, we have all of our resources right on site so that a teacher can really focus on the teaching and learning aspects. And if they see the other needs, they know that we have partnerships to address those needs. So it is a very unique setup.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

It really is. And you had a hand in the design of another unique program called Start, which is like the new teacher mentorship program. Do you feel like the student participation in this health clinic falls under the umbrella of mentorship, or it's is it something else kind of on its own?

SPEAKER_01 4:03

Um something else kind of on its own, but I see the two both being a mentorship and also leadership um capacity because that's really what we focus on at WISE is really trying to show students that they are leaders and identifying leaders and building that leadership. And this one program that Miss Barbara um will kind of talk about, it really does do that for students. It allows them to be leaders. And we have several other programs at our school that we've implemented since I've been there that develop identify leaders.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

It's so interesting the way that you word that of show them that they are leaders. Like that just hit me because it's not teach them the 12 steps of leadership. Although I love some good, you know, steps. I love you give me a checklist, I'm excited, right? But show them that they are leaders. So how have you seen that kind of play out, Barbara, in the program? Because you're, you know, there on the day to day with all the students and the patients.

SPEAKER_02 5:04

Yes. Um, so I see them from day one when they come into our clinic and kind of don't know what to expect. They're they're not quiet. They ask questions. I mean, this school, these students, they want to know what's going on in their school. And they're not afraid to ask. And that's what I love about it. They want to know what we're doing when we're answering the phones. They want to know what we're doing when we're checking in patients. Why are they here for? Why do we put on a mask? And all of a sudden, one day they just were like, well, we want to do it. We want to do more than just answer the phone. I was like, okay, well, let's give it a try. And they jump to it and they've been amazing. They walk into that office and they're like, okay, Ms. Barbara, I see you're busy. We're gonna answer the phone. Or I'm gonna check a patient and I know where the files are. And it's amazing because the patients are all looking like, what is going on? Or I have a patient that'll call me later in the day and say, Miss Barbara, I wanted to call you back because I called and talked to one of your health ambassadors. They did a great job. How old are they? And I said, Um, that one's about 10, I believe.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

Wow. Oh my gosh. So it was the kids' idea.

SPEAKER_02 6:04

Yes, it was the it was their idea because I was just gonna have them in there answering the phone, you know, working on phone skills, learning how to copy, answering the door, saying hello to people. But no, it didn't end that way.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

Because the help the community clinic is the patients there are people in the community. Yes. That's not other students. No. I think that's an important thing.

SPEAKER_02 6:23

We do see the students from the school there. We will see anybody from the school, but they are community. Anybody in the community can come to our clinic from zero to 18 years.

SPEAKER_00 6:31

Wow. So you said some of the patients are like, whoa, what's going on here? What other kind of reactions have you received from the patients? Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_02 6:39

So they'll say, Um, is it in my it? Why isn't it in my school? How can I get it in my school? How what can I tell my principal? I had one from Cook who was like, I'm gonna talk to my principal about it. How can I get it in my school? I like it, I like it. And a lot of patients were telling me, if I had that when I was younger, I think I would have done something different if I would have started at that age. I think it's a great program.

SPEAKER_01 6:58

And that and that's one of the unique things that's come evolved from the program as well, that we wanted to show students there are so many different aspects in the health profession. You know, it's not necessarily, you know, just doctors and nurses, but you know, there's medical assistants, you know, there's medical receptionists. I mean, there's all different types of professions in the medical field. So it was just great that they're able to see different professions.

SPEAKER_00 7:24

Well, right, because I think seeing a profession at work from the viewpoint that you're allowing students to view it, it is very different than taking a career assessment test. Right. It's very different than a classroom experience alone. And so, Barbara, how did you get inspired to go into the medical field? Because you're talking about all the kids getting inspired. What inspired you?

SPEAKER_02 7:50

Well, um, I took care of, I was uh going into school to be a teacher. That's what my goal was. And then my daughter was diagnosed with autism. Um, so I had to take a different route, a quicker route to make more money to make sure I could pay for her therapies. Um, my parents got sick after that, and I started to take care of them a whole lot. And um, I just realized I was really good at it, and I liked it. I loved the way it felt to take care of somebody. And um I continued in school to do um medical assisting, um, started working at occupational health, but I just am volunteering at um Hallmark Elementary and Global Learning Academy and Ellie and Esther, and I still wanted to work with the kids, and the opportunity came to work with community health in this unique school, so I jumped at it and it's been great ever since.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

Wow. So you're like, okay, kids, I volunteered with you and I'm still not sick of you. Yeah. So wow, that's the perfect combination of the two, your two loves. So that and when you could have taken that medical assisting education though, and gone anywhere, right? What made you stay in Pensacola?

SPEAKER_02 8:50

Well, this is where my family is, this is where my home is. I graduated from Pensacola High School. I mean, I've been to other places and I visited. I love that, I love Pensacola. You know, I wouldn't go anywhere else. I love it.

SPEAKER_00 9:01

So and the community health clinic is, you know, a valuable asset and obviously a busy place, right? Yes. So, you know, I think an outsider looking in might go, okay, wait a minute. You're gonna take this busy medical setting and put kids in the mix? Are you crazy?

SPEAKER_02 9:19

How has that played out? Actually, you know, I am so thankful to our CFO, Sandra Smiley, um, and community health. They have just been amazing. And they're like, let me find tell us what you need, Barbara. What how can we help? What can we do? Um, and they love it. The doctors, anybody, the med other medical assistants, everybody want to get involved. They love the kids, they love to see the videos and pictures. And we're and community health is about, you know, um opening up to the community, providing health to everybody. We want to service everybody, and so they are on board 100%.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

So Does the participation impact their class schedules at all?

SPEAKER_02 9:55

No, they come out through um 30 minutes during their um special area times, which they get more than once a week. So they may miss it like on a Monday, but then they'll get it on another day.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

What special area time?

SPEAKER_02 10:07

Like a um music class or an art class.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

Oh, so it's like what we would call like an elective. Right. Oh wow. And do the students stay with this um with the clinic for a certain amount of time as though it were a semester-long elective? Yes. And so they can re-elect or not elect every exactly you don't call them semesters, do you? Quarters? Quarters. Quarters. Quarters, okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:30

And it's third through fifth grade, so we're it's a focus there as well.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

Do you have you found that the participation has had any impact on their science classes? Because when I was thinking about biological sciences, medical field, I'm not sure what third, fourth, and fifth graders are taught as far as science, but I'm curious if you've either of you have heard anything about the impact on their actual school classroom performance in correlation with their clinic participation.

SPEAKER_02 10:59

Well, now Dr. Thomas will answer that better, but I can know that yesterday I sat with a CPR in a CPR class with our fifth graders getting CPR certified, and we were just going to do basic CPR, not healthcare provider, because that went into a lot of the blood vessels and arteries and everything. And they were asking some questions. They were talking about pacemakers, defibrillated, they understood it, they knew what sped up the heart. So they all got certified as healthcare providers. They passed, they were able to do it. So I if it's I I'm pretty sure that I mean there's some correlation there. They have to be doing well in science. I believe they are. I think I know what they're doing.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

And they just finished up a topic on the human body, so it was like a great marriage that they were able to make those connections because they had just learned about, you know, the human body and different arteries and and so forth.

SPEAKER_02 11:47

I will tell you that the CPR instructor, he stood there and he was like, they are amazing. At one moment, he said, I forgot that they were not nursing students, that they were elementary kids.

SPEAKER_00 11:58

Oh my gosh, this is so much fun.

SPEAKER_02 12:01

What has the reaction of the parents been? Oh my goodness. So I try to send as many pictures as I can. I'm getting calls like, they told me they had to wear their uniforms to school. Do they have to wear their uniforms? I'm like, not today. And they have scrubs and lab coats. Yes. They are professional because they are working in our office with patients. Um, they're taking blood pressure, so they should look the part too.

SPEAKER_00 12:26

Oh my gosh, that's so cute. So the program started in 2019, which means that the oldest students from that year will be graduated from high school in 2027. Yes. So, I mean, as you I feel like these are your babies, but like the program's your baby. Also, what do you hope the program will give them into adulthood when they graduate?

SPEAKER_02 12:51

Oh goodness. I hope and I pray that it gives them, and I have talked to some of the parents. I I have not lost contact with some of them. I've actually talked to some of them, and some of them will be coming to the clinic during the summer, this summer and working in our clinic.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

So wait, the students are coming back in the summer on purpose?

SPEAKER_02 13:08

On purpose, yes. And so I want them to um take this and pursue a post-secondary um education. Hopefully come back and work for community health and um teach other students what they've learned. So I'm hoping that that happens and I know it will. I mean, we've already contacted Harvard University for one of our ambassadors this year, and they actually responded back and said they can't wait. They're looking out for her application. So I'm excited. You contacted Harvard about a fifth grader? I did because she we were talking and she told me, you know, she I asked her what school she wanted to go to, and she said she wanted to go to Harvard, but she knew she didn't have the money. And I said, Really? I said, Okay, well, let me find out about that. So I I emailed them and I got um Harvard Medical School sent me uh reply.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

She's an avid reader, all she does is read. And she reads medical terminology, she reads dictionaries. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:59

Yeah. Who are these kids? I need to meet these kids.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

You do, you really do. You will love them if you did.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

I well, you sent me a video of kind of the the program, and it had, you know, some kids talking to the camera, and my heart just melted immediately because they are just so professional. And I'm thinking to myself, hey, aren't you supposed to be awkward? Like you're a kid, and they weren't awkward at all. They were more poised and connected to the camera than most adults that I've seen. And it just impressed the snot out of me. When when people, you know, hear about this program, they might, you know, see the video and go, oh my gosh, these cuties, or hear about you know, the feel-good stories, but it might stay at that level for them. Like, oh, that's that's so cute. Good for them. But you know it's a lot of work, you know it's a lot of funding that makes this happen. And in order to continue to have the staff and to continue to have the f funding, it needs to solve a problem. So, what problem do you feel like this solves for?

SPEAKER_02 15:02

Well, um, I think this will solve um I think for for me personally as a parent, I think this is gonna solve some problems for their parents because I know our as a parent we worry about where our kids are gonna be. We try as hard as we can and we may we're we're maybe at this level. This is where we're gonna be, and we want to find out how we can push our kids and encourage our kids. This program will empower them to continue. They're gonna push on in middle school because they know that Barbara and Community Health and Dr. Thomas are gonna be checking on them and we're gonna be following them and pushing them to a post-secondary degree um education. So I think it's gonna solve a lot of worry for those parents. Their parents know they have amazing teachers, an amazing school, amazing principal behind them.

SPEAKER_00 15:46

So what do you think, Dr.

SPEAKER_01 15:48

Thomas? Um, I I just go back to the leadership component, you know, just building future leaders and really allowing them to see um what it looks like, what it sounds like, what it feels like, and know that it's attainable. This is something that I can do, you know. Um, just like she said, the young lady that expressed the interest in Harvard. I mean, she's already thinking past elementary school. I mean, she kind of has it mapped out. And so just making sure that we provide those experiences and opportunities for exposure. That's the best gift that we could give our students.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

Yeah, it's like a launching pad into what's out there, what is available, what are the options, and then you know, how can I take advantage of those options and you know, use my gifts because obviously these kids have they do, and they're so caring and they care about each other and they care about their fellow co um students in the school.

SPEAKER_02 16:45

I mean, one came the other day and said somebody hurt he hurt his hand. Can I get some wrap and band-aids to wrap him up? I was like, Okay, and one teacher had broke a fingernail or something, and then a little girl came to the office, wanting some stuff to fix her teacher's finger, and I said, Okay.

SPEAKER_00 17:00

Oh my gosh. So they're definitely taking this outside the clinic.

SPEAKER_02 17:04

Oh yes. Oh, and they're asking, you know, what if, what if, and those those are the questions that we're looking, what if or how? How do I do it? How can I do it? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

So Oh, I love that because that shows a mind shift. It's kind of like the show them they're the leader, and then they show that they're already shifted into that gear in their minds when they say, Okay, what's my next step with this? Instead of do you think it I could, or you know, how's it possible they are already envisioning themselves in that role? Yeah, they're running my office.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

They'll always tell me when they come in, Miss Barbara, we want to do this, this, and this. And I'm like, oh, oh, okay. I love it.

SPEAKER_00 17:44

Thank you so much for for doing what you're doing, and thank you so much for coming here to share. Is there anything that either of y'all want to leave parents who are listening with before we close?

SPEAKER_02 17:55

Yes, I just want to um make sure parents know to continue to push their kids forward, you know. Talk to your schools, talk to your principals. Um, there's programs like that can be in this school that's be open to these programs because they are helping kids in the future. And so just um talk to your principals and your teachers and communicate and push your kids to do more. You can they can do more.

SPEAKER_00 18:19

Awesome. Thank you guys so much. Thank you. Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe and share. Voices United in Education is a production of Escambia County Public Schools.