By: Kara Szymanski | Shelby-Utica News | Published October 31, 2023
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Utica Community Schools and community leaders gathered to dedicate the district’s newest academy, the Utica High School Academy for Health and Human Services, during the afternoon of Oct. 19 at Utica High School.
The academy is meant to provide graduates with a competitive edge in three fields: rehabilitation services, public safety and therapeutic services.
The academy puts core academic programming in the context of these three career paths and has two new courses, “Principals of Biomedical Science” and “Introduction to Health and Human Services.”
Robert Monroe, superintendent of schools, said the district started the academy to try to make education come to life for students.
“We intentionally focused on real-world partnerships and programs so that our students could see the connection between what they are learning and their future careers,” he said.
The program began at the ninth grade level for approximately 50 students and will add a grade level each school year.
In addition to the curriculum, the program offers students a medical career expo in their sophomore years, a medical career-related job shadowing during their junior years and an extended internship during their senior years.
Bashar Adnan, a ninth grader, said he joined the program because of the opportunity it holds.
“I am here because I enjoy the medical field and I plan on becoming a future health professional. If you like hands-on work and interacting with people, this is the place for you,” he said.
The academy will require a capstone project from all students in their senior years. The projects are to address industry-level challenges identified by HOSA Future Health Professionals (formerly Health Occupations Students of America) or professional collaborators.
Utica Community Schools anticipates that the academy will increase the number of students earning college credit through articulation agreements with post-secondary institutions and Advanced Placement graduates.
Projections for growth in the health care industry influenced the academy’s development. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that overall employment in health care occupations will grow nearly 13% from 2021 to 2031 and result in about 2 million new jobs over that time.
UCS said it worked closely with business partners in the development of the academy, including Ford Next Generation Learning, Project Lead the Way, Corewell Health (formerly Beaumont) and Macomb Community College.
The Utica High School Academy for Health and Human Services is the fifth high school specialty program offered through Utica Community Schools for high school students and the second school-based academy.