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“I honestly thought this was going to be a way to spend my time and have fun during the summer, but as the program went on it opened my eyes on careers options and most of all I learned how to interact with people, which is a simple thing that really opens the doors to so many opportunities in life”, said San Luis High School senior Joshua Espinoza, 17.

Yuma, Arizona.– For Joshua Espinoza, 17 years old San Luis High School senior, this summer was an opportunity to learn an important lesson about his community.

From June 9^th, 2015 Joshua participated at the 18^th “Our Children/Our Community” Community Outreach Campaign and Youth Leadership Program sponsored by the Regional Center for Border Health, Inc., which in his own words “made me aware of what happens in my community and how I can help others to improve their lives as I get life and career skills.”

This year the group included 18 seniors from Cibola, Kofa, San Luis and Gila Ridge High Schools, and PPEP Tech, who learned a wide range of Health related topics, career path and successful job skills; and also received educational sessions provided by representatives from local, state and federal agencies, and non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, as well as law enforcement agencies.

During today’s Graduation Ceremony those new skills and changing life expectations experiences were shared by the participants with their parents and RCBH staff, as Joshua Espinoza and his friend Katya Rojas, both 17 years, expressed.

“I honestly thought this was going to be a way to spend my time and have fun during the summer, but as the program went on it opened my eyes on careers options and most of all I learned how to interact with people, which is a simple thing that really opens the doors to so many opportunities in life”, said Espinoza.

Katya Rojas also highlighted that thanks to the different options learned during the program, she will start a career on Social Work. “I would recommend other student to take advantage of this program next year, because not only gives you a great time, but it also gives you the chance to learn that it takes a professional team to aim high and make a difference in your own life.”

Also, guided by RCBH Family Care Coordinated they actively participated at the annual “Our Children” Healthcare Community Census and Immunization Campaign, which since 1998 the RCBH has conducted in the border communities of San Luis, Gadsden, Somerton, and Yuma, Arizona.

This outreach campaign is a six-week door-to-door community based census designed to identify and collect information from underserved/disadvantaged families.

According to the student’s presentation, this year Community Census made possible to visit 3,348 houses reaching 396 families, where different needs were identified.

Also, as a part of community service, the students cleaned up two Senior residents homes in Somerton, and as Espinoza said “it was great to see they were happy that someone else supported them, but for me it was them who helped me because I felt I was useful for them”.

A Certificate of Completion was presented to each of the students by Ms. Amanda Aguirre, President and CEO of the RCBH, Ms. Tuly Medina, senior Vice-President of RCBH, Ms. Ines Pampara, Director of Health Professions and Training Development, and Mrs. Elizabeth Arredondo, Program Coordinator.

Ms. Aguirre stated “It makes us proud to provide our youth with programs that engage them in our community and give them experiences that make them learn there are needs and gaps they can be capable to support by studying a career and giving back to others.”

For more information please contact Mariajose Almazan, Executive Assistant to the President and CEO of the RCBH at (928) 627-9222 or via e-mail at mrincon@rcfbh.org