AUGUSTA, Ga. () – A local nonprofit is teaming up with Doctors Hospital to help bring healthcare opportunities to high school students here in Augusta.

LAUNCH is a local nonprofit that provides free healthcare courses to kindergarten through 12th graders to help guide and expose them to different healthcare fields.  Launch Academy is exclusive for 9th through 12th graders and allows them to learn hands-on with classroom activities and shadow hours in the hospital.

“Today we have the LAUNCH Academy, which is a group of students from the greater Augusta Area that are all here with different healthcare modalities in groups to learn about potential careers they can have in the future,” said Armando Bonheur, the Assistant Administrator, Doctors Hospital of Augusta. “So, really just looking at molding and cultivating, motivating the next generation of healthcare leaders in Augusta.”

15 local high schools were represented at Saturday’s event. The students have to apply online to be then selected. LAUNCH and Doctors Hospital partner to teach students about the admissions process in healthcare and hands-on experience in the operating room and the PACU.

“The partnership that we have with Doctors Hospital for LAUNCH Academy is very unique and it special,” said Dr. Kendra Broussard, the Founder and President of LAUNCH Augusta. “Because there’s no other place for high school students to actually get together and get hands-on activities as well as shadow hours within a hospital. It’s very different from all our other programs in that it’s very detailed and provides step-by-step directions with hands-on components on how to be successful in healthcare.”

Alania Pruiett, a student, has been involved with LAUNCH since elementary school and is thankful for the opportunities the organization has brought her.  

“I’m thankful for LAUNCH for always the exposure,” said Alaina Pruiett, a student. “Exposure is always so necessary, especially when there’s so many things you can do in the medical field, and just knowing that I’m one step closer to achieving something I actually like to do.”