Program Highlights

Since 2000, the Wisconsin AHEC program has been providing hands-on health careers exploration opportunities for high school students through its summer camps. We now run five camps each summer, located in LaCrosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Sheboygan/Manitowoc and the Fox Valley. Over 260 students have participated in AHEC camps since 2000. Each camp runs for five days, and provides an opportunity for 20 high school students to experience first hand the challenges, opportunities and rewards of over 25 health professions. The hands-on activities are facilitated by instructors and health care professionals. Diversity awareness and leadership skills training are included as a part of the camp experience. The best promoters of this program are the students who have participated in it. Here’s an excerpt of a recent letter we received from a former camper:

Northeast Wisconsin AHEC is a primary sponsor of this annual event held in Fond du Lac. G+M+S=O is attended by middle school girls from throughout the region. This hands-on workshop encourages girls to pursue math and science as career options. In elementary school girls and boys tend to perform equally well in math and science, but studies have shown that upon reaching middle school, many girls become intimidated and back away from taking math and science classes due to social pressures. The one-day conference brings together a variety of female speakers from the engineering, medical, geology and education fields and provides 30 hands-on learning sessions opportunities for students. The first G+M+S=O workshop was held in October, 2005, and was attended by 140 girls. The October, 2006 workshop attracted 217 attendees. The evaluations of the first two G+M+S=O workshops are very positive. The following percentage of participants who completed the evaluation agreed or strongly agreed with the statements below.

• 66% have more positive attitudes toward math
• 83% have more positive attitudes toward science
• 77% are more interested in careers in math and science
• 81% are more aware of the skills and abilities needed in math and science careers
• 79% are more aware of women who are role models in math or science careers
• 76% will consider careers in math or science that they had not thought about before
• 81% are thinking more about their futures
• 84% are aware of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle
• 93% stated that they would recommend this conference to a friend

In Green Bay, Bellin College of Nursing students are working to educate WIC participants about the importance of good oral hygiene. The nursing students are responsible for creating culturally appropriate posters and other educational materials to supplement the free bilingual supplies provided by the ADA. Nursing students are also trained and participate in the process of applying fluoride varnish to the WIC children. 2006-7 is the second year of the program. First year results:

• 419 unduplicated child visits
• 612 flouride varnish treatments
• 555 educational sessions
• 90% of children served-Latino
• 37 nursing students trained
• 760 hours of service learning