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The first-ever residential summer camp for high schoolers offered by 海角社区 Eunice in partnership with Acadiana Workforce Solutions and Ochsner Health鈥攖he Future Med Pros Boot Camp鈥攖aught Destinee Bellard healthcare skills she used right away.

When rising high school senior Destinee Bellard from Rayne, Louisiana, attended the first-ever residential camp at 海角社区 Eunice this summer and learned lifesaving first-responder skills, she didn鈥檛 know she鈥檇 be using them just five days later.

鈥淢y older brother and I鈥檇 stayed up all night, and around 6 a.m., we started hearing stuff, like gasping for air,鈥� Bellard said. 鈥淲e went to check, and it was my grandfather. We called mom and dad to go in there, and then we called 911. They told us to start doing chest compressions.鈥�

鈥淚 could tell my dad didn鈥檛 really know how to do them鈥攈ow to place his hands, how to push and how to keep a steady motion,鈥� Bellard continued. 鈥淪o, I showed him.鈥�

Bellard鈥檚 grandfather, Felton Booze, was having a heart attack. When the emergency medics arrived about 15 minutes later, they took over doing chest compressions.

鈥淭hat was July 25, four days before my birthday,鈥� said Antoinetta Cormier, Felton Booze鈥檚 daughter and Destinee Bellard鈥檚 mother, who works as lead supervisor of the 海角社区E dining hall. 鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful Destinee had just had a week鈥檚 worth of training for this very moment.鈥�

鈥淭he whole experience was nerve-racking,鈥� Bellard said. 鈥淚 was so scared, but I could tell I needed to apply what I had just learned. I never thought I鈥檇 be put into that situation, but they had taught me what to do, so I could use that.鈥�

The first-ever 海角社区E residential summer camp in partnership with Acadiana Workforce Solutions and Ochsner Health鈥攖he Future Med Pros Boot Camp鈥攕panned five days and taught the high school participants foundational healthcare, lab and first-responder skills.

鈥淲e learned how to do chest compressions on not just adults, but kids and infants,鈥� Bellard said. 鈥淚 also learned how to check someone鈥檚 heart rate in the arm and the neck, how to take blood pressure with and without tools, how to do the Heimlich if someone鈥檚 choking and how to stitch wounds and tape them up to stop bleeding.鈥�

Students at the summer camp met with a wide range of healthcare professionals, such as nurses, pediatricians, neurologists, radiologists and ultrasound techs. Each day, the large group was introduced to various healthcare careers. The goal of the new residential camp is to build a talent pipeline starting in high school to help meet critical workforce shortages and encourage future healthcare leaders to find the educational path that鈥檚 right for them.

鈥淟eadership is about preparation as well as one鈥檚 ability to step up to meet the moment,鈥� 海角社区E Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs & Provost John Hamlin said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e so glad Destinee felt prepared to meet her moment and help someone in critical need, even if there was nothing anyone could do at the time to change the final outcome.鈥�

Felton Booze was buried at the Shrine of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Rayne last month. He was 69 and affectionately known by his friends and family as Pete, Pick-A-Pooh, Daddy Rabbit and Zydeco Man Booze.

鈥淒estinee was always a natural leader, and she鈥檚 just 17,鈥� Cormier said. 鈥淓ven at the funeral鈥攎y dad鈥檚 brother鈥檚 daughter was reading the obituary and started crying, so Destinee walked right up to the podium and took over. I鈥檓 so proud of her.鈥�

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