We Are All Ironmen

On December 4, 2022, 54 volunteers from the illustrious Palm Desert Health Academy, under the leadership of the wonderful Mr. Ron Paiz, participated in the local Indian Wells/La Quinta Ironman Triathlon. The Ironman Triathlon is a 70.3-mile course that includes a 1.2-mile swim in Lake Cahuilla; a 56-mile bike ride through La Quinta, Thermal and… Read more »

Spreading Kindness Throughout La Quinta High School and Beyond

La Quinta High School (LQHS) Medical Health Academy is now giving their students an opportunity to support and encourage one another by becoming LQHS Peer Helpers. The emotional toll from the pandemic has brought to light the importance of self-care and positive coping skills within all age groups. Since then, Stacey Bolanos, a Medical Health… Read more »

The STEM Impact in Cathedral City

When it comes to education, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is a pivotal aspect. STEM continues to grow at Cathedral City High School (CCHS) and has had a positive impact on the student body.  As a member of CCHS’s Health and Environmental Health Academy of Learning (HEAL), I was given the opportunity to create… Read more »

Still Moving Forward

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a challenge; however, students at the Palm Desert High School Health Academy (PDHA) are trying to make the best of the situation and continue to push forward despite adversity. The pandemic has created many obstacles to how the academy typically runs, but despite these unique circumstances, students are… Read more »

Sharing Student Mental Wellness Resources

Online learning during the pandemic fueled the rise in mental illness. As behavioral health students in the Health Academy at Coachella Valley High School, we knew that we were negatively impacted by the pandemic and three out of the four of us felt that our abilities faltered through online learning. A survey conducted at Coachella… Read more »

mentoring the future

New Physician Assistant Pipeline Supporting Local Students

What once seemed an impossible dream— Coachella Valley students making their way into medical school— may soon become a regular reality thanks in part to efforts of OneFuture Coachella Valley’s Physician Assistant Pipeline Alignment Team. The team recently launched with leadership from UC Davis, USC, and local physician assistant (PA) professionals to prepare students to… Read more »

mentoring the future

Grades Matter!

Students hoping for admission to a nursing or pre-med program take note – grades matter! More importantly, “first attempt” grades matter most.  Terri Burch, department chair of the California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) nursing program, explained that if you want to earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from CSUSB, you must… Read more »

mentoring the future

New PA Pipeline Team Launches in the Coachella Valley

The Coachella Valley is currently facing a shortage of primary health care professionals, especially those from within our community, and physician assistants are an important resource to meet that need.  OneFuture Coachella Valley (OFCV) is facilitating the launch of a new regional alignment team to address this, with a specific focus on creating awareness of… Read more »

Building a Bridge to Behavioral Health Careers

The Coachella Valley has a critical shortage of behavioral health professionals to serve the needs of our community. To address this need, local behavioral health partners came together as OneFuture Coachella Valley’s Behavioral Health Workforce Team (BH A-Team) in 2016 with the vision that the Coachella Valley will have an abundant supply of mental and… Read more »

mentoring the future

One Vital at a Time

Capturing vital signs is a critical skill learned and practiced at the Palm Desert High School Health Academy to prepare students for their future careers. Health professionals must understand what vital signs are, what the monitoring procedures include and how to perform each in a proper manner. Vital signs allow physicians and nurses to check… Read more »

What HEAL Offered Me

The HEAL academy (Health and Environmental Academy of Learning) is not the average high school academy. By giving students opportunities and experiences to work in their community, the academy helps students like me prepare for a career either in health care or in the environmental health field.  I have been in the HEAL academy for… Read more »

mentoring the future

The Pressure of Competition

Over the past year, parents of the wealthy and privileged have been exposed for cheating the college admissions system. These individuals have personified the levels of desperation to which some parents descend in order to get their child into their school of choice. Stresses of college admissions and even competition among high school students contribute… Read more »