Boys & Girls Club members experience real-world STEM activities during Health Science event

KENNEWICK, Wash. -- During a two-day event at the Health and Science Center at Columbia Basin College, the Boys & Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties were able to get hands-on experiences.

Apple Valley News Now's Monique Ledesma met with the Director of Workfor Readiness for the Boys & Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties Miryam Hurtado and she said the CBC Health Science Immersion experience is a first of a kind event.

"Not only learning how to apply to CBC and what enrollment is like, and those types of things, but they're also learning pathways." Hurtado said, "they're also learning about the different areas they can focus on like certifications, or they can just get an AA or a bachelor's."

Zaida Estrella is part of the Boys & Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties and she said she is learning some of the behind the scenes work of different career opportunities.

"Very beneficial because I feel like it can show people like the real work that goes on that we don't see every day." Estrella said, "this shows like, what nurses really do what EMTs and medical technicians really do throughout the day. That you don't really think about."

Hurtado said events like this help spark interest in the STEM field.

"Some  teens have walked into the experience saying like, I don't know if this is for me. I don't know if I want to pursue a career in healthcare." Hurtado said.

"But as we have progressed and now on our second day, they're excited to do the activities and do the hands on to really, again immerse themselves and see if this is something for them.” Hurtado said.

One of the hands on activities was properly switching off with someone while giving CPR. Apple Valley News Now's Monique Ledesma got a chance to participate as well.

Hurtado said that in the next couple of weeks, the Boys & Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties will take a trip to Seattle to explore different universities to see different opportunities.

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