What a difference a month makes. This time last month, staff were gearing up for PATH Classes and a spring break High School Health Career Camp. Staff had travel plans to deliver High School Camps in Kodiak and Dillingham. We were writing curriculum to launch a 3-week PATH intensive tailored for English Language Learners to launch in April. Nyabony was busy recruiting judges for the Statewide HOSA Future Health Professionals Conference, which sadly did not take place.

As of now, all in-person classes for April and May have been cancelled. Decisions on June programming are still pending. During this time of “pause,” our South Central AHEC staff have been reviewing all our curriculum, making changes, and moving in-person courses to an online format. We will launch our first fully on-line class for Cook Inlet Tribal Council the first week in May.

Our Distance-Delivered Apprenticeship Program and MOA class for Cook Inlet Tribal Council is moving forward as usual – except our instructor Louise will be teaching from her home.

As most of our WIOA and AHEC Scholars have lost their opportunities for work experience, clinical rotations and Community-Based Experiential Learning, we have turned to alternative efforts that can be done at home. Some of our students will be connecting with youth to talk about Covid-19. Many of our students have signed up to help make PPE at home, namely masks, to deliver to Community Health Centers, as all health care facilities are experiencing a shortage of PPE.

I am so grateful to the amazing staff – Nyabony, Teresa, Alex, Samir, Cassandra, Sydney, Kayla, and Louise for their dedication and hard work – during times of crisis and times of normalcy. Thank you, Alaska, for staying home, washing your hands, and staying positive during this unprecedented time.

-Mari