Copiague Middle School’s Career Explorations students in Ms. Barteldt’s class recently completed a unit focused on the health sciences and human services career clusters, exploring a wide range of careers within the healthcare field. Throughout the unit, they learned about professions such as pharmacists, doctors, nurses, physical therapists, hospital administrators and patient advocates.

To conclude their studies, students applied their knowledge through a hands-on final project that transformed their classroom into a stuffed animal hospital. Students from other classes, along with school administrators, were invited to bring in “sick” stuffed animals for treatment.

Career Explorations students fully immersed themselves in the experience by dressing and acting in the professional roles they studied. As they diagnosed and treated their plush patients, students demonstrated their understanding of healthcare responsibilities, teamwork and communication skills. The interactive project provided an engaging and memorable learning experience for all involved, reinforcing real-world connections to classroom learning.