From Python to Patient Care: How New Tennessee Grants Are Redefining High School Career Pathways
In an effort to close the gap between classrooms and careers, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) has awarded Future Forward Innovation Grants to seven programs across Tennessee.
These grants, aimed at building real-world career pipelines for high school students, fund innovative models in healthcare, artificial intelligence, data science, and early education industries with both current demand and future growth.
“SCORE’s mission is to catalyze transformative change in Tennessee education,” said SCORE President and CEO David Mansouri. “The recipients of these Future Forward grants are driving change that will result in a stronger connection between education and employment and provide students with stronger pathways to career success.
Selected from a pool of nearly 100 applicants, the seven recipients emerged through a rigorous evaluation process by a panel of experts in education, workforce development, and venture capital, according to a news release sent to the Tennessee Firefly. Each will receive targeted funding, expert mentorship, and cohort-based support to scale their ideas into models that can be replicated statewide.
Training Tomorrow’s Nurses—Today
Future Nashville public charter school Nurses Middle College is among the seven grant recipients.
The school received approval from the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission last year. SCORE’s grant will support Executive Director Dr. Andrea Poynter’s planned partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center to launch an accelerated summer Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification program. Beginning the summer after eleventh-grade, students will receive hands-on training in patient care and become eligible for paid positions before their senior year of high school.
The program will also offer optional tracks in doula care, EMT services, and community health, addressing the increasing demand for frontline healthcare workers.
“We have long felt the strain of the nursing and allied healthcare professional shortages in our community that ultimately impact patient outcomes, so increasing the number of well-prepared and passionate caregivers is critical,” said Poynter, executive director of Nurses Middle College Nashville. “It’s an honor to be among the cohort of Future Forward Innovation Grant awardees, and we look forward to the exciting year ahead.”
“Developing opportunities for students in partnership with local leaders means we can quickly get to the heart of a workforce need we have in the Davidson County community,” said Williams. “More importantly, we are eager to see students find careers early on that spark their interests and give them clear next steps to turn those interests into a career that fuels a fulfilling life,” said Dr. Mamie Williams, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Senior Director for Nurse Workforce and Community Engagement.
Bridging Gaps in Other High-Demand Fields
Other grantees are targeting workforce needs with programs that start as early as high school and extend through college. Each of these programs blends career readiness, postsecondary planning, and community engagement.
“We look forward to supporting and learning from these innovative efforts as we work to ensure all students have the opportunities they need to succeed in the classroom and in life,” said Mansouri.
