Spectrum Health Lakeland has announced a new summer jobs program for African American and Latinx students. Spectrum Health Lakeland clinical educator Ashley Offord tells WSJM News as part of the organization’s ongoing effort to promote racial equity, it looked to Benton Harbor to find young people who could take part in the six week GROWTH program.
“The goal of this is to make sure that students are exposed to the breadth of what healthcare is,” Offord said. “It’s not just doctors and nurses, but there’s this whole scope of professions in healthcare that make it such a great thing.”
Offord says each of the 20 students was interviewed to determine what their areas of interest might be, and over the next six weeks, they’ll be exposed to those areas. Spectrum Health Lakeland worked with community partners like the Boys and Girls Club and Benton Harbor Area Schools to find students ages 16 through 19 to take part. They’ll start on Monday.
