Grossmont Union High School District’s (GUHSD) Patient Care Pipeline program has been honored with the Golden Bell Award by the California School Boards Association (CSBA).

Established in June 2022, the Patient Care Pipeline is a collaboration between GUHSD’s Health Career Pathway, which is partially funded through the support of the Grossmont Healthcare District, and GUHSD’s Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways.

The Health Career Pathways and CTE program provide high-quality instruction, hands-on training, and work-based learning opportunities to prepare students for careers in healthcare, one of the state’s fastest-growing industries. After completing pathway courses, students are eligible to enroll in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at the GUHSD Health Occupations Center, where they can prepare for the state CNA license exam.

The Patient Care Pipeline is beneficial for English language learners (EL) as it integrates healthcare career training and instruction with language development support, allowing more EL students to pursue careers as CNAs. The pilot program began at El Cajon Valley High School, which serves a high percentage of Middle Eastern immigrants and ELs. This integration of language development removes barriers for students while also meeting the growing demand for multilingual healthcare workers.

“We are incredibly proud of the Patient Care Pipeline and its role in preparing students for success in one of the state’s most vital industries,” said GUHSD Governing Board President Dr. Gary Woods. “This program is a prime example of how partnerships, community support, and educational innovation can remove barriers and create pathways to opportunity,” he said.

GUHSD’s Patient Care Pipeline was also a finalist for the San Diego County Taxpayers Association’s Golden Watchdog Award and received the 2024 Innovation in Education Impact Award from the Classroom of the Future Foundation. The Golden Bell Award was presented to GUHSD at the CSBA Annual Education Conference on Dec. 5 in Anaheim.

For more information about GUHSD’s Health Pathways programs, visit guhsd.net.

(Courtesy image)