5 high school students to intern in Hawaii

Five public high school students were selected to participate in the Health Career Occupation Program and 3rd Annual Health Professions Summer Institute Program in Hawaii.

Dina Marie Palacios from Marianas High School, Rosalyn Sanchez from Saipan Southern High School, Nicole Cabrera from Tinian High School, Ricalyn Barcinas from Rota High School and Trudy Atalig from Kagman High School will undergo training under the “Problem-Based Learning Curriculum,” said Public Health Secretary James U. Hofschneider.

The curriculum, said Hofschneider, will provide an educational overview of health careers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kapiolani Community College and Leeward Community College.

He said the high school students would be exposed to various health career fields and introduced to campus life through the summer residential program.

Hofschneider said the students will learn some of the skills that are important in health care by experiencing hands-on activities on six allied health professions.

They would also explore admission requirements of six different health profession programs as well as college admission and financial aid services, experience college life while living in a dormitory for three days, and fulfill HCPS II Career and Life Skills Standards, evaluating their interests, strengths and values.

PSS Science and Health coordinator Jackie Quitugua and Area Health Education Center officer Fe Untalan arranged an orientation for the student with their parents and guardians yesterday morning at the Aqua Resort Club.

Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos congratulated parents and guardians of the participants on the wonderful opportunity given their children. Gov. Juan N. Babauta and special assistant Tom Tebuteb also personally congratulated the students.

Inos said she hopes that when the students come back they would spread the knowledge they will learn among their peers.

“More importantly they would get a wonderful experience to solidify their dreams to choose a career in health and allied health,” she said.

She expressed appreciation for the partnership of the PSS vocation and education program headed by Frank Rabauliman and Science and Health coordinator Quitugua.

Inos also thanked Untalan for opening the door for the students to participate in the program. At first, it was only for three high school students, but Untalan managed to lobby for two more students.

“Hopefully, by next year there would be more students participating from private schools,” Inos said.

Quitugua said the internship program is also the Public School System’s answer to the need to upgrade the CNMI’s health care system.

She said AHEC, PSS and the Workforce Investment Agency helped fund the program. She said the students would be chaperoned by teachers Sharlene Crisostomo from Hopwood Junior High School and Jesse Tudela from Saipan Southern High School.

She said the five students would do presentations after their internships and share what they have learned during the program.

WIA executive director Jesse P. Stein said his office would be more active in the second phase of the program when they come back to the CNMI.

“The students will continue to be nurtured through monthly high school health club meetings and workshops on how to be successful through high school and college,” said Hofschneider.