School-to-Work Program Helps Non-English-Speaking Students
January 30, 2025
Genesis Santiago
Genesis Santiago enrolled in St. Luke’s School-to-Work (STW) Program at Liberty High School after moving to Bethlehem from Puerto Rico as a sophomore in high school. STW has expanded learning and career opportunities for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students such as Santiago for more than 27 years.
Founded in 1997 in collaboration with the Bethlehem Area School District (BASD), the initiative aims to engage at-risk students and expose them to diverse health care careers to encourage ESOL students to remain in school and graduate on time. Since inception, 92% of the students that completed the program have graduated from high school.
“Students are interviewed and selected by St. Luke’s and BASD staff, and a cohort of 16 to 18 students participates each year in the academic/career program, which integrates healthcare-focused English and Science courses taught by ESOL teachers at Liberty High School with observational experiences at St. Luke’s Bethlehem Campus,” explained Diana Sanchez, St. Luke’s Workforce Development Specialist.
Santiago majored in health care administration and human resource management at DeSales University. During her time as a student, she worked part-time as a patient access representative at St. Luke’s Allentown Campus Emergency Room, where she registered and welcomed patients, including many who primarily speak Spanish. Last summer, she completed a paid internship with St. Luke’s Department of Community Health.
“I’m very proud of where I came from and what I’ve gone through,” Santiago said. “The challenges I have overcome have made me a better, more compassionate person. People should never exclude or look down upon others because they don’t speak English or come from somewhere else. I enjoy helping people because I’ve been in their shoes.”
During the academic year, STW students participate in a range of program activities, including clinical and non-clinical rotations, college visits, education sessions from health care professionals, and educational fields trips to connect classroom learning to real-life experiences. Students learn from St. Luke’s health care professionals about their roles and education necessary for that occupation, as well complete rotations through various departments, such as the Emergency Room, Radiology, Laboratory and Women & Babies. At the end of the academic year, the students present their experiences to the School District Superintendent, teachers, St. Luke’s staff members, and their families.
“By the end of the academic year, we see consistent and significant growth in their communication and language acquisition skills, as well as their career goal development,” Sanchez said. In addition, national standardized tests that measure English proficiency, given at Liberty High School, have shown that School-to-Work students scored much higher in English language proficiency than other ESL students in their cohorts.
The School-to-Work Program is one of several programs administered by St. Luke’s Department of Community Health to provide workplace experiences and expose high school students to careers in health care. “Over 400 students have participated in these programs to date,” Sanchez said.
Born in Puerto Rico, she moved to the United States in 2017 when she was 13 years old after Hurricane Maria devasted the island, leaving it without power or water for an extended period. When she enrolled in the STW program, Genesis was committed to academics and improving her English language acquisition to continue pursuing higher education. After completing the STW program, she enrolled in regular education and college preparatory classes and graduated with a high grade-point average.
Graduating from DeSales in December, Santiago also works also as the part-time Project Coordinator for Allentown Blueprint Communities. Through this role, she continues to collaborate with St. Luke’s Department of Community Health. Sanchez notes, “we are St. Luke’s Community Health Proud to have mentored Genesis and continue assisting her to develop her professional skills to make a positive impact in the communities we serve.”
As for Santiago, she envisions a positive future. “I see myself working in a hospital, and I’d like to be in management role,” she said. “If it’s St. Luke’s, even better!”
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