First Focus Program Class Sets Standard
Alex Ibarra Juarez took a huge leap of faith heading into his junior year of high school. Having attended Lincoln Southwest High School for his first two years, he saw an opportunity he couldn’t refuse – transferring to the newly-opened Lincoln Northwest High School to participate in the Bryan College of Health Sciences Medical Sciences Focus Program.
Alex and his cohort are the first to have their
names displayed graduates of the Focus Program.
The program allows juniors and seniors at Lincoln Northwest to earn up to 20 early college credits from the college with reduced tuition. Students eligible for free and reduced lunch can apply for free tuition through the Nebraska ACE scholarship program. Bryan Foundation also offers scholarships and certification support.
“I always knew I wanted to help people, but I didn’t know how,” Alex said. “So, I thought I’d try the Focus Program and see what health care is all about.”
Alex, along with seven peers, was in the first class of students to complete the program. He graduated in May and will attend the college in the fall to pursue a career in cardiovascular sonography. This summer, he’s working as a patient care technician at Bryan Medical Center in the progressive cardiac care unit and will continue this position once classes begin.
Jason States, director of high school outreach programs, worked closely with Lincoln Public Schools officials to develop the program. Before joining the college staff, he worked as a science teacher at Lincoln High School. Jason will transition into a dean position in July.
“Students get lots of good hands-on experiences and get to see different aspects of health care,” Jason said of the program. “A lot of people think you can either be a nurse or a doctor, but there are so many more people on the team who make everything work.”
Alex Ibarra-Juarez will began studying at
Bryan College of Health Sciences in August, 2024.
Alex said the program helped cement his interest in sonography. He and his peers took classes such as introduction to health professionals and anatomy and physiology. The program also offered opportunities for him to shadow professors and students at the college during Blue Healer Days and listen to guest speakers from many medical disciplines.
One of Jason’s favorite elements of his job is watching students grow. Alex’s cohort was brought to the college for a “signing day” before they even began the program. Jason said the students barely said two words to each other that day, but they since have formed strong bonds. Alex said they have a group chat to keep in touch. Half of his cohort will join him at the college in the fall.
“The connections I made through this program were great,” Alex said. “We went from not saying a word to each other to calling each other for help with homework.”
Jason said he’s excited to see the program continue to grow heading into its third year. Many more students will pass through the program in the years to come, but Alex and his classmates will always be the first. A large display board at Lincoln Northwest dedicated to graduates of the program will forever show their names.
“It feels great,” Alex said. “We made the first step, and we have set the bar really, really high for everyone else.”
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