BETHALTO - A teacher at Civic Memorial High School is one of 50 Voya Unsung Hero awardees in the country.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Angie Parish, who teaches Medical Careers 1 and 2 at Civic Memorial, is the only teacher in Illinois who has been recognized by Voya. Parish’s classes provide hands-on training and shadowing opportunities for students who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine.
“It’s really cool to have that opportunity and for it to be able to turn into something that's going to keep impacting students long past my career,” Parish said. “It’s very cool that the kids get to do this.”
As part of the award, Parish received a $2,000 grant, which will go toward the purchase of CPR manikins and AEDs. These wishlist items will allow for CPR training that is “a lot easier and a lot more realistic” for the students.
Parish conceptualized and began teaching Medical Careers 2 last year. After learning the basics in Medical Careers 1, Medical Careers 2 students are able to “push out” into hospitals multiple times a semester to shadow healthcare professionals.
“They absolutely love it,” Parish said. “It’s so beneficial for them because they get to decide if that’s a career that they’re really interested in, and they get to shadow such a variety of different entities in the hospitals.”
Last year, students witnessed births, surgeries and other once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Many students in the first graduating class of Medical Careers 2 are already working in the healthcare field, including one local EMT.
Parish also recently visited with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, which hopes to collaborate with Civic Memorial to funnel students from the Medical Careers 2 class into the university’s four-year pre-med program. She is excited about this newest addition to the class and eager to see how students respond.
The Medical Careers classes are making an impact on the Bethalto community. Parish thanked the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8 for their support. She added that the community’s generosity has made the classes possible.
“It’s amazing, really. It’s awesome to see it all come together after all the behind-the-scenes work, and then you finally get to see it in action and see it making an impact on the kids. It’s been outstanding,” she said. “I can’t say enough to our district, because they’re so behind this program. If they weren’t, it wouldn't be possible. They’re 100% behind it.”
Parish added that the classes are always accepting expired or unneeded medical supplies. She invites anyone who works in the medical field — “from veterinary science to mortuary science to the hospitals” — to reach out about the possibility of speaking to the students.
