BEAVERTON, Ore. — Students at Sunset High School in Beaverton now have the opportunity to learn more about a career in behavioral health.
"I've been thinking about being a clinical psychologist, clinical psychiatrist, something like that, and it seemed like the perfect gateway for me, honestly," said Lawson Parker, a senior at Sunset High.
"I kinda want to go into speech pathology. I really love working with kids," said junior Vittoria Echaluse.
"I've been a mental-health advocate for as long as I can remember. That's actually what I'm going to major in after school," said Natalie Fornari, a senior.
The program is new this school year and is a part of the Beaverton School District's career and technical education.
Campbell Stewart, a social worker in the district and one of the instructors in the program, said the class connects teens' education to a career after high school.
"I'm just thrilled we're finding a pathway for young people to get connected to this work," Stewart said.
She said before the COVID pandemic, there was a need for more mental-health professionals. But now, she said there's been a surge in need for clinicians, particularly culturally relevant clinicians.
"So to be able to tap into our really rich and diverse school communities to help these young people see how they might be somebody who could serve in a mental health or behavioral health capacity is just really exciting," Stewart said.
The new program is exciting for students too.
"I just feel like it's super engaging," Echaluse said.
"I want it. This is what I want to do," Fornari said. "I've always wanted to help people."
The classroom setting at Sunset High School helps to lay the groundwork for the next generation of mental health professionals.
"It teaches me so much about what I want to do. It's just been the best," Parker said.
It's still early in the school year, and Stewart said right now, students are focused on self-reflection and self-care. But throughout the year, the plan is to bring in professionals to talk about the different career paths students can take in the mental health industry.
School officials also said they plan to give students the opportunity to get certified in several areas, including certifications related to how to respond when people express suicidal thoughts.
Additionally, the program is partnering with an organization that'll offer opportunities for pre-apprenticeship during high school and work as an apprentice post-graduation as students continue to take more classes in pursuit of a career in behavioral health.