Thirty high school students have officially completed the 2025 Teen Health Summer Program, hosted by the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) at Northern Marianas College.
Held from July 14–25, the program offered participants hands-on training in CPR and first aid, lessons on mental health and nutrition, and opportunities to explore high-demand medical career paths. Students also engaged directly with healthcare professionals from across the CNMI, gaining valuable insight into the skills, education, and dedication needed to enter the healthcare field.
For many participants, the program was eye-opening. Carly Kate P. Dela Cruz, an 11th grader at Mount Carmel School who aspires to become a labor and delivery nurse, said the experience strengthened her desire to pursue a health career. “I can see myself working in a hospital in the future, being one of the people who help it function,” she said. “Learning CPR, suturing, and even triaging patients during a disaster really showed me how much I want to help others.”
Devin Francis Yumul, a 12th grader at Kagman High School interested in becoming a physician, said the program helped him discover more about medical careers and himself. “The most meaningful part was learning what careers in the medical field do,” he said. “I also made new friends I’d never thought of talking to. This program helped me realize what I really want to do and deepened my passion for the medical field.”
“It was such a joy and privilege to spend Week One of the program with these students,” said Erica Davis, associate director and program co-lead of the Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center. “From CPR and ‘Stop the Bleed’ to casting, suturing, and the Island Disaster Simulation, they tackled every challenge with enthusiasm and curiosity. I hope this experience opened their eyes to the many paths available in healthcare and sparked something that stays with them.”
“This program was designed to give students real-world exposure to a variety of health careers through hands-on learning, simulations, and interactive workshops,” said Les Ogumoro-Uludong, director and summer program lead of NMC-AHEC. “Over the past two weeks, our students not only engaged with local healthcare professionals during the Health Career Expo, but also participated in A Day at CHCC: Discovering Healthcare in Action, where they explored the hospital facility and heard directly from healthcare professionals about their career journeys and day-to-day experiences. These opportunities gave them a deeper understanding of the diverse roles within healthcare and the pathways to get there. Throughout the program, they brought energy, curiosity, and thoughtful questions—qualities that will serve them well no matter where their path leads. We thank our peer presenters, mentors, Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, NMC Center for Training & Innovation team, NMC staff, and Hawai‘i/Pacific Basin AHEC, especially Associate Director Erica Davis, for making this program possible.”
The NMC-AHEC Teen Health Summer Program is part of the center’s mission to strengthen the CNMI’s healthcare workforce by providing education, training, and exposure to healthcare careers.
For more information, contact Les Ogumoro-Uludong at the NMC Area Health Education Center at (670) 237-6810 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it./.