Student-produced videos increase healthcare workforce awareness
YANKTON, S.D. – – Six teams of South Dakota high school students earned cash prizes with their originality in telling the story of the state’s healthcare workforce shortage and the promotion of those careers. Their videos will be posted online in an effort to educate their peers about the state’s workforce needs and the possibilities available with healthcare careers.
The contest is sponsored by the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations, the South Dakota Healthcare Workforce Center and Yankton Rural AHEC. Entries focused on one of two categories: healthcare workforce shortage in South Dakota or the promotion of healthcare careers.
Winners in the workforce shortage category are: (First) Aberdeen team of: Amber Bellikka, Jessica Foster, Shayle Finnesand, Chance Glaser, Carly Hubert, Paige Hoffmann, Emily Miller, Alexis Rath, Brandon Ronning, Hailey Sumption and Kaitlyn Weisenburger; (Second) Madison team of: Brendon Klopf and Erin LeMair; (Third) Highmore team of Tristan Ashdown, Sydney Cowan, Brady LaMont, Bennett Peterson and McKenzee Zilverberg.
Winners in the career promotion category are: (First) Beresford team of Maddie Antonson, Megan Dahlin, Hannah Hepner and Tiffany Hoffman; (Second) Beresford team of Shelby Bickett, Lexi DeLay, Devin Erlandson and Arianna Lyle; (Third) Beresford team of Alexandra Johnsen , Bailey Nelson, Abigail Wiebers and Christian Wilson.
Videos featured careers such as nursing, childlife specialists along with physical therapy. One team took a documentary approach to the healthcare workforce shortage and others a more humorous delivery to get their peers’ attention. The contest aims to bring a greater awareness to high school students, their peers and others about the demand for healthcare workers in the state.
“The students’ work helps us to educate the public and to increase awareness of the need for healthcare workers in our state,” said Sandy Viau-Williams, executive director of Yankton Rural AHEC.
Videos were judged on four criteria: educational value, entertainment value, originality and content. Videos were less than 5 minutes in length. They are posted at www.yrahec.org. First place team members in both categories shared a $750 prize, second place finishers received $500 and third, $250.
In the decade leading up to 2020, more than 8,000 new healthcare workers will be needed in South Dakota. There will be a 17 percent decrease in high school graduates between 2002 and 2018. By the year 2025, the number of elderly in South Dakota will double. This creates a challenging situation to meet potential growing demand with a declining supply of workers.
Career Promotions Category
Workforce Shortage Category