Every morning at 7:30, a van pulls away from Cairo High School with three juniors inside. Krishawn Young, Miracle Childs, and Akeylah Johnson are transported to Meridian High School in Mounds, Illinois. Their destination is the Health Occupations program—a yearlong course that is giving them a head start toward careers in healthcare.

The program, which runs through the morning hours, prepares students to become certified nursing assistants (CNAs). By the end of the school year, the Cairo juniors will have completed the coursework, finished their clinical training, and sat for the state CNA exam. Along the way, they will also earn their CPR certification, giving them skills that are immediately useful both in and out of the workplace. Best of all, the opportunity comes at no cost to students. The district covers any expenses, ensuring that finances are not a barrier to pursuing healthcare careers.

The days start early and finish mid-morning. “We leave here about 7:30,” Krishawn explained. “And then we get back around 10:30.” That means they miss three classes at Cairo each day, but they are quick to point out that the trade-off is worth it. “It gives us a head start,” Akeylah said. “It helps you get to where you want to go.”

The work is real, and sometimes demanding. In their first weeks, the group tackled CPR training, a skill that requires both knowledge and confidence. Soon after, they began coursework to prepare for the CNA exam—studying everything from patient safety to basic medical procedures. “It’s not a cakewalk,” Miracle admitted. “You’ve got to put your mind to it. You’ve got to want to do it.”

All three students are motivated by the same calling: to help people. “Some people don’t have family,” Krishawn said. “So I want to be there for them.” Miracle agreed, adding that she has always wanted to work in the medical field. For Akeylah, it’s about making people feel better, about offering care when it is most needed. Their answers are simple but sincere, and they reveal a maturity beyond their years.

Role models in their own lives have helped shape their goals. Each can name family members and cousins who are already working as nurses or who have gone through the same program. “I know a whole bunch of cousins and even my aunt,” Krishawn said. Others, like Amaya Johnson and Essence Brown, are former Cairo students who became CNAs and now work in the field. Knowing that others have succeeded gives them confidence that they can, too.

The program also opens doors to earning potential. CNAs currently earn between $18 and $22 an hour in many parts of Illinois. For students who may want to start working immediately upon receiving certification, that kind of pay offers stability. For others, like Akeylah, it is just the beginning. “I want to be a travel nurse,” she said, describing her dream of working in Hawaii or across the country. “I’ll be a little bit of everywhere.” Miracle envisions a mansion and an eight-car garage one day, but behind the dream is a commitment to building a career in healthcare that makes those goals possible. 

Krishawn talks about moving family away from the challenges of their current environment. For all three, nursing is not just a job but a pathway to a better future.

Their appreciation for Cairo schools is clear. “It’s a wonderful school,” Akeylah said. “Everybody cares for everybody. The teachers aren’t just here for a paycheck—they actually care for us.” Security staff also earn their praise. “We’ve got good security,” Krishawn added. “They look out for us.”

The students understand that not every school offers opportunities like this. For them, Cairo’s commitment to sending students to off-campus programs is proof that the district is serious about investing in its kids. “It’s helping me right now,” Miracle said. “Not all schools would do this.”

The Health Occupations program is more than a class. It is an introduction to the demands and rewards of healthcare, a chance to gain skills that will serve them for life, and a first step toward careers that can take them far beyond Cairo. For Krishawn, Miracle, and Akeylah, it is also a chance to prove that they are ready to help people, ready to work hard, and ready to step into a future of their own making.