Inspira Health Network announced support for Vineland Public Schools’ Applied Math and Science Academy recently, including software and training, establishment of a mentorship program and a $10,000 grant to assist with funding.
John DiAngelo, CEO and president of Inspira, which serves southern New Jersey from three hospitals and several other facilities, presented the check to the program during a ceremony last week.
Vineland’s AMSA program, which includes students in grades five through 10, sets up students to simultaneously earn their high school diploma and an associate degree in math and science, with a concentration in engineering, from Cumberland County College.
AMSA students presented ideas for health-related smartphone apps to Inspira leaders last fall.
“We were so impressed by these students the last time we saw them that this decision was an easy one,” DiAngelo said in a prepared statement. “For us, this is about much more than just cutting a check. Our goal was to come up with a well-rounded approach to support the efforts of Vineland’s Applied Math and Science Academy, its students and its faculty.”
Inspira purchased new coding software for AMSA, and will provide faculty with training to incorporate it in their classroom. The health system also is creating a mentorship program to teach students about technology-focused health care jobs. The $10,000 grant, presented by DiAngelo and other Inspira executives, will help fund the program.
“We are so excited about the opportunities presented to us by Inspira’s leadership,” Vineland Superintendent Mary Gruccio said in a statement.
“The coding software is going to be integrated as part of the STEM curriculum, allowing students to develop a better understanding of coding and how it impacts the world around them. The mentorship offers an opportunity for the students to see how the skills they are learning in their STEM courses are applied in the health care field, as well as exploring various career options that the field offers.
“Finally, we are very grateful for the grant. We plan to use it to purchase innovative technology to enhance our new AMSA Mission Center to mirror the Innovation Center being developed by Inspira at the Rowan Technology Park.”
