Mother Caroline Academy in Grove Hall has launched an immersive career development program for middle school students at Boston Children’s Hospital. The week-long Science, Technology, Education, and Healthcare Career (STEHC) Camp took place from March 4 to March 8, offering seventh- and eighth-grade students exposure to future careers in medicine.

The program follows a successful pilot program completed last March. Mother Caroline Academy serves students who are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch programs. 

The program curriculum included hands-on, practical experience with operating room simulations at Boston Children’s Immersive Design Systems lab, as well as ultrasounds and live demonstrations. Students met with physicians and hospital leaders, along with students from Harvard Medical School and MIT.

They also met with Mother Caroline alumna Shinikha Paige, class of 2000, who works as a program manager at Boston Children’s, and former Mother Caroline teacher Sarah DiMare Atwood, now a nurse at Children’s.

“Education outside the classroom is critical for empowering girls and preparing them for potential future careers,” said Marie Louise Greenidge, Mother Caroline Academy’s Interim Head of School. “This program helps to level the playing field, giving students from less-advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds the tools and experiences they need to pursue these essential careers.

“We’re appreciative of this collaboration with Boston Children’s and hope to expand it in the future to include more educational opportunities.”