Intermountain Health has donated medical equipment and supplies to Jeffco Public Schools to assist in training future healthcare professionals. This initiative aims to provide students with hands-on learning experiences.
In August, Lutheran Hospital relocated from its site on 38th Avenue in Wheat Ridge to a new facility on 44th Avenue and Interstate 70. Following the move, leftover equipment and supplies were identified for donation. Tia Nemitz, assistant principal at Bear Creek High School, learned about the unused resources during a hike with Katie Tiernan Johnson, associate vice president of community benefit at Intermountain Health.
Recently, Bear Creek and Arvada High School received a variety of donated items, including beds, mannequins, wheelchairs, stethoscopes and gloves. Nemitz shared that Bear Creek participates in Alternative Cooperative Education, which prepares students for careers. “What we want to do is get more students with an industry certification so they can leave high school and get into a job with a livable wage,” she said. Some students plan to use their certifications while continuing their college education in healthcare.
Previously, Bear Creek students interested in becoming certified nursing assistants (CNA) had to travel off-campus for their classes. With the donation from Lutheran, the school plans to establish a CNA lab on campus and hire a CNA teacher, offering classes by fall 2025. Nemitz expressed hopes of expanding opportunities to students at Dakota Ridge, Columbine and Chatfield high schools.
The news of the donations also attracted the attention of Arvada High School teacher David Feeney, who walked through the closed hospital with Intermountain associate project manager Tyler Shields to find equipment for his students. Feeney is developing a healthcare career pathway at Arvada, intending to include emergency medical technician certifications. According to Arvada principal Caroline Frazee, the donation has expedited his plans.
Shields, responsible for decommissioning the former Lutheran hospital, said the donation to Jeffco Public Schools is part of multiple initiatives he has coordinated. He noted that Intermountain is committed to supporting community programs that will educate the next generation of healthcare workers.
