Partnership at Parkview High School Inspires Healthcare Careers

Madison Morris doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up, but she knows she wants to help others. That’s why she enrolled in the Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Academy of Health at Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School in Little Rock.

Madison said her experience during her two years in the Academy’s behavioral health pathway has only reinforced her plans.

“After college, I want to be in the medical field. I want to work with people and help people. I wanted to get a head start, and I feel like people in this program get a head start,” she said.

The Arkansas Blue Cross Academy at Parkview launched in 2023 to expose students to careers in behavioral health through guest speakers, company tours and shadowing opportunities. The program is part of the Academies of Central Arkansas, an initiative of the Little Rock Regional Chamber being implemented in all four public school districts in Pulaski County.

“This generation is much more aware of their mental health than the generations before, and I think that having this pathway shows our students that, at Parkview, we are just as invested in the totality of their wellness as they are,” said Nickolous Anderson, Parkview High School principal. “In public education, we say that we ‘teach the whole child.’ If that is truly so, pathways like this are vital to show students that their input toward their education is heard.”

It isn’t just the students in the behavioral health pathway who benefit from the school’s partnership with Arkansas Blue Cross. In October 2024, Parkview’s 260 freshmen went through mock job interviews—a new experience for many of them. Arkansas Blue Cross employees volunteered more than 50 hours over two days to interview each student and share feedback with them. Before the interviews, guest speakers from Arkansas Blue Cross visited with the freshmen to offer important interviewing tips —everything from how to dress to the importance of eye contact and creating a resume.

“Arkansas Blue Cross has been a great asset to Parkview students,” Anderson said. “They have not only funded our Peaceful Patriot Calming Room, they have also been highly involved with our mock interviews and the Central Arkansas Career Expo. They have contributed countless hours to guest speaking, field trips, and providing exposure to the healthcare industry that our students would not have had the opportunity to receive. Having them exposed to these things in high school helps equip them for interactions in the real world.”

Rashel Espinoza, a junior at Parkview, said her future goals include a career as a therapist or a counselor. Hearing from guest speakers during her behavioral health classes has “given me an idea of what I want to be.”

She said she wants people to understand “they don’t have to be ashamed” about living with a mental health challenge. “People hide their conditions because of stigma. I want to make people more comfortable about getting help.”

Anderson said partnerships like the one between Parkview and Arkansas Blue Cross can have far-reaching effects.

“Having local businesses and corporations invest in schools benefits us, but more so the community. There is an opportunity to have a direct impact on the soft skills needed for high-quality jobs. Businesses are able to show students what’s possible and help us show them a path to get there. It’s full circle.”