Career and technical education (CTE) plays a crucial role in preparing learners for both college and career successes. CTE educators show a commitment to preparing the next generation of caregivers that cannot be overstated. They foster interest and inspiration, build up competence and confidence, and help ensure that our healthcare systems have the skilled employees they need.
This February for CTE month, we asked the educator community to submit their stories, showcasing their journeys and career pathways towards healthcare education. NHA received so many incredible replies, and while we can only select three winners, we want to thank each and every one of you for your valuable work!
This year’s three winners are:
- Heleena Wright
- Beth Roberts
- Klera Crawford
Read their stories below to learn why and how each of these incredible instructors embraced healthcare education.
Heleena Wright, Dr. Henry A Wise, Jr High School
Heleena’s transition from healthcare professional to educator was driven by a passion for mentoring others.
With over 20 years as a medical assistant in specialties like OB/GYN, general surgery, and family practice, Heleena honed her clinical and administrative skills while providing patient-centered care. As she gained experience, she naturally took on mentorship roles, training new medical assistants and interns. Heleena quickly realized she had a passion for influencing the next generation of healthcare professionals.
For future educators, Heleena emphasizes the importance of leveraging real-world experience to create engaging learning environments, staying current with industry trends, and fostering a supportive atmosphere in the classroom that encourages students to be themselves.
Heleena says that becoming an educator has been one of the most rewarding transitions of her career – she finds great fulfillment in seeing students succeed.
Beth Roberts, Webster Country High School
Beth's journey began as a certified medical administrative assistant, which led her to become a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. After years in nursing, she transitioned to education to teach future healthcare professionals.
She now leads the Highlander Health Science Program, helping students earn certifications through NHA in areas like clinical medical assisting and phlebotomy.
Beth stresses the value of CTE, highlighting how it bridges the gap between high school and careers, allowing students to graduate with both a diploma and valuable certifications that help open doors in the healthcare industry.
She takes great pride in watching her students grow – she's thrilled to see them gain the confidence, skills, and certifications needed to succeed. Beth adds that the real reward is knowing that her teaching directly impacts her students’ futures, regardless of the path they choose.
For those considering becoming healthcare educators, Beth recommends gaining a broad experience in a diverse array of both clinical and administrative roles. This level of exposure allows educators to connect with students on multiple levels and provide real-world examples of what they can expect in their future careers.
Klera Crawford, East Baton Rouge Career Technical Education Center
Klera’s healthcare journey began at 17, when a guest speaker at school came to speak about healthcare professions – this coupled with her father’s experiences with heart disease motivated her to make a difference in people’s lives.
Her firsthand experience with high turnover in healthcare led her to pursue becoming an educator. Klera realized that it took someone who truly loves medicine to not only work in the field but also have the patience and dedication to teach students. After seeing how badly our healthcare systems needs new professionals, Klera wanted to help shape the next generation.
For those contemplating a future in education, Klera offers this advice – you should go for it. If you think you can make a positive impact, she thinks you should try! Klera stresses that healthcare education is an incredibly rewarding career and says there’s nothing she finds more fulfilling than seeing her former students thriving in the field, successful and passionate about what they do.
Share Your Story
We want to thank each and every one of you who works in the healthcare education field. You change lives daily, and NHA is proud to help serve your community. If you would like to share your story, please submit it here. We love hearing from you about your career journey!
