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AFHSD expands hands-on learning with health fair. * By Joshua Fenty, West Valley View Staff Writer * Apr 9, 2026 Updated Apr 9, 2026 The Agua Fria High School District is on a mission to expand work-based learning opportunities for its students, including experiences that promote various health care careers. With that goal in mind, Canyon View High School will host a community health fair, realized through the district's collaboration with the Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue). "Anytime a student can get any sort of hands-on work experience is so valuable in their education - both from an exploratory standpoint and from an experiential standpoint," CFA Project Manager Erin McGehean said. "Those students get to practice different employability skills, like working with the public and developing soft skills, while also learning more about the different careers available to them." The work-based learning program, she explained, will serve as a pilot program to help build and refine a framework to be replicated in other schools across the state. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona has hosted similar community health fairs across the state, but this marks the first time students will participate in structured, work-based learning roles. The Community Health Fair will unfold on Canyon View High School campus on Thursday, April 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. Various health care professionals will be at the fair, working with and mentoring Canyon View High School students, to offer free medical services, resources and information. Attendees will have access to free health screenings and biometrics, dental screenings and opportunities to get connected to other services that may benefit them and special goodie bags. According to the project manager, the CFA and AZ Blue considered ways in which all Career and Technical Education students might have opportunities to contribute to the fair. One of the ideas that was discussed, she said, was the possibility of having the culinary students prepare and cater meals for their peers in medicine and the health care professionals working the event. Participation among the students will vary based on grade level, McGehean said. Freshman students in attendance will explore the fair, speaking with various professionals to learn more about career opportunities in the medical field. The upperclassmen who are engaged in CTE pathways will be the students assisting with health screenings and gaining experience. Additionally, the organization will gather student feedback to sharpen the program's framework for the future. For McGehean, schools can experience difficulty in connecting their students to internship opportunities and individual scheduling conflicts add to the challenge as well. This program helps to bridge that gap, she said. "This is a win-win for the employers, the communities, the schools and the students, to be able to work together to provide students with these experiences," the project manager said. "Especially in some of our rural communities across the state, they have trouble getting connected into industry experiences - this will provide that opportunity." The Center for the Future of Arizona's mission, as stated on its website, is to bring "Arizonans together to create a stronger and brighter future for (the) state." For McGehean, helping to develop the doctors, nurses and medical professionals of tomorrow helps to secure that brighter future. As the event date rapidly approaches, the project manager said she is thrilled to see the students step into their roles and help people - adding that their professionalism and aptitude will surprise the crowds. "I think there's a lot of misconceptions about how high school students are, and I think they're going to challenge a lot of those assumptions," McGehean said. "I think the community is going to see how engaged and willing they are to provide service and work with people - they'll bring hope to the community."

AZ Blue Invests in Scholarships to Train Arizona's Future Healthcare Workers PHOENIX, April 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arizona needs more workers in healthcare. Across the state, there is a shortage of health providers making it hard for patients to get the care they need. To help bridge the gap, AZ Blue is giving $200,000 in aid to future health workers. The gift, from AZ Blue Health Choice and the AZ Blue Foundation, provides need-based support for hundreds of students at Maricopa Community Colleges. "Investing in students will go on to strengthen Arizona's health system," said Heather Carter, Medicaid Segment General Manager and Health Choice of Arizona CEO. "It's a chance for students to start careers that will make an impact in the lives of Arizonans."