Educating The Next Generation of Durham's Health Care Providers

DECHS's inaugural class members signed up promising futures in health care

Students sign their acceptance to the Early College of Health Sciences as part of a ceremony honoring the school’s inaugural class.
Students sign their acceptance to the Early College of Health Sciences as part of a ceremony honoring the school’s inaugural class. Duke is partnering with Durham Tech and Durham Public Schools in supporting the new school.

Rising ninth-grader Alivia Williams arrived at Duke’s Trent Semans Great Hall with her mom, Carla, to sign up for her field of study at a newly established Durham early college high school that will specialize in health care.

“Research,” answered the reserved 14-year-old before registering.

Meanwhile, Kyle Jara, 14, had grabbed a plate of food and was sitting a few feet away from his parents. “I want to be a registered nurse and maybe become an anesthesiologist,” he said.  

Alivia and Kyle are among the 100 inaugural class members of the Durham Early College of Health Sciences (DECHS), a new school located at Durham Technical Community College in a renovated space that’s set to begin classes this fall. This effort exemplifies Duke’s commitment to growing educational and economic opportunities for Durham residents through partnerships.

ECHS student Alivia Williams and her mother Carla. Photo by William Snead/University Communications and Marketing
ECHS student Alivia Williams and her mother Carla.

DECHS is the result of a partnership between Duke Health, Durham Tech and Durham Public Schools that received a $29.5 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to create an early college program for high school students, such as Alivia and Kyle, who are interested in going into health care careers after graduation.

“Both my parents are in health care at Duke,” Kyle said. “They inspired me to do the same. My dad works at the eye care center. My mom is a bedside nurse.”

In addition to training and studying for careers in nursing, allied health, surgical tech and clinical research, the early college students will simultaneously earn their high school diplomas, and an associate degree or credentials needed for work in health care fields. Upon graduation, the students have a direct gateway to a job at Duke Health.

The teens had assembled at Trent Semans Great Hall as the first-ever class at the new school. The signing ceremony felt like a commencement exercise, with the students lining up and walking on stage to sign their names on a commemorative wooden board after their names were called.

A few moms cried and beamed with pride when their children’s names were called. More than a few parents yelled and cheered.

“Aliviaaaa!” Carla Williams yelled when Alivia walked on stage.

There were welcoming remarks from DECHS principal Joshua Brown, Durham Tech President J.B. Buxton, and Duke University Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Dr. Mary E. Klotman. Duke Health Chief Executive Officer Craig Albanese presented closing remarks.

The keynote address was delivered by 25-year-old Hope Reynolds, an acute care physical therapy resident at Duke Health.

Reynolds told the students she was a competitive swimmer for most of her young life but started having pain in one of her shoulders during high school. She sought out physical therapy treatment.

“By the time I was in physical therapy, I also started to think about what I wanted to do with my life,” said Reynolds, who added that she was previously interested in health care, but the thought of needles and blood made her want to pass out.

“You are part of something much larger than yourself. You are now part of a community of health professionals.”

DECHS principal Joshua Brown

“Through my own personal experience, I found the world of physical therapy at the exact moment when I needed it, and suddenly I could think of doing nothing else. A program like Early College Health and Sciences would have given me a way to chase this passion of mine early on; the hands-on health care specific opportunities that this program provides would have given me a chance to explore my interests, boost my confidence and jump start my progress in becoming the clinician I am today. And I am so excited that you get to participate in a program like this one.”

Drs. Craig Albanese and Mary Klotman join J.B. Buxton of Durham Tech and ECHS principal Joshua Brown in welcoming the new students.
Drs. Craig Albanese and Mary Klotman join J.B. Buxton of Durham Tech and ECHS principal Joshua Brown in welcoming the new students.

“Compassion and the pursuit of a career in health sciences go hand in hand,” Brown, the school principal, told his new students. “You are part of something much larger than yourself. You are now part of a community of health professionals.

J.B. Buxton told the students they were now part of a great new team.

“You’re not just committing to this early college high school,” he said. “You’re committing to be part of this community, and part of this community in a way in which you can make a difference and make an impact on people’s health and wellness, whether that be with surgical tech, medical assisting, clinical research trials or nursing.”

Klotman noted that Duke celebrated its centennial last year, and that from its start, Duke was committed to medical research, clinical care, along with educating and training the next generation of health care providers and scientists.

“It is incredibly appropriate that in this 101st year, you are part of that history,” she told the new DECHS students. “And we will remember that incredibly wise partnership that started something I think is going to transform health care in Durham. To our students, congratulations. 

“You have chosen wisely.”