Population Health students at Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing are partnering with students at BELIEVE Academy to address health disparities and strengthen community health across St. Louis.
This collaboration reflects a shared commitment between BJC Health and BELIEVE Academy, a first-of-its-kind high school in the metro St. Louis region, to prepare students for meaningful careers in health care. Through hands-on learning and industry-recognized certifications, students are gaining the skills needed to move directly from high school into family-sustaining careers, while also building a deeper understanding of what it means to care for others. Alongside GSON students, BELIEVE Academy students are learning that working in health care isn’t just about working a job; it’s about taking care of the people around them through simple steps.
Each semester this academic year, Population Health students are leading conversations with BELIEVE Academy students on physical and mental health, as well as the role health care workers play in advancing community well-being. This past fall, the focus was on flu vaccinations.
The discussion began with a class overview of flu vaccination expectations for health care workers, trainees, and volunteers at BJC. This discussion helped students appreciate what would be required of them in future roles.
“We wanted to educate on the importance of being good stewards, particularly with the flu,” says Terri Morris, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, now retired assistant professor at Goldfarb School of Nursing. Dr. Morris oversaw the collaboration between GSON and BELIEVE prior to her retirement in February. “With the number of cases we continued to see locally, this was real and relevant.”
The discussion extended beyond the classroom. Population Health students, along with BJC Belonging and Inclusion, facilitated an evening conversation session and focus groups with BELIEVE Academy students and their parents and guardians to better understand vaccine hesitancy, including barriers such as access and trust. It was an opportunity for GSON students to talk to them in a safe and trust-building environment.
“It was an open, honest conversation,” adds Misha-Renee Hart, program manager for BJC Health Belonging and Inclusion, which works cooperatively with BELIEVE Academy since it is a workforce pathway program for the enterprise. “We were able to listen, understand concerns, and talk through what’s behind the hesitation.”
GSON students also explored the broader impact of the flu in the focus group, particularly on vulnerable populations. These conversations reinforced what many are seeing firsthand in clinical settings: that the virus should not be underestimated. Encouraging vaccination, as Misha noted, aligns with BJC’s values of Kindness and Safety by prioritizing the well-being of others.
“The goal is to equip students with real-world perspective,” Misha adds. “What stood out most was the time spent listening and learning together.”
Following these discussions, Goldfarb School of Nursing hosted flu shot clinics for BELIEVE Academy students. With parental consent, 50 students were vaccinated.