Training with the Ministry of Health and Physical Education provides students with lifelong learning.

Written by Junior Associate in Communications Services, Chandler Flowers

Investing in the health and knowledge of the human body is important for the future, and no one believes that more than the Health and Physical Education Department. This summer, the department and its interns are raising health awareness throughout Dallas ISD.

“The project manager brought the idea to our department, and departments that could participate signed up,” said Lisa Whitaker, department director. “This was the first year we did this program and I thought it was a really good opportunity for young people.”

Interns assist with various activities, such as working in the Future Doctors Program at Sunset High School and David W. Carter High School, collecting health data, and conducting observations at the school.

These observations led to his latest project of creating first aid kits. These kits will be placed in physical education classrooms so that teachers have what they need to care for students.

Preparing groups is a core activity for trainees during their time in Dallas ISD: their goal is to prepare 245 before completing the program.

Tony O, a soon-to-be senior at Hillcrest High School, is one of the interns working on the project.

“I help prepare first aid kits for Dallas ISD schools,” he said.

Toni is interested in health because of her participation in the cheerleading team and knew it was for her when she saw the physical education section at a career fair. She also wants to study medicine and become a doctor in the future.

Her advice to students interested in doing an internship is to never give up and pursue what interests you.

“If you’re interested in a certain subject, it’s fun no matter what you do,” he said.

Whitaker has nothing but praise to say about Tony and the other trainees.

“If you give them a project, they do it without much supervision,” he said. “They are great kids and a great reminder of why we do what we do.”