Meet LPS Focus Program Scholar: Sydney, Bryan College of Health Sciences

February 14, 2025

Lincoln Public Schools Focus Programs are a customized high school experience rooted in connection and opportunities. 

LPS offers our scholars - like Northwest senior Sydney - almost a dozen focus programs to experience. Inspired by healthcare professionals in her family like her mom, she decided to explore the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program. The program is uniquely offered at Northwest High School as one of our embedded offerings. It has also paved the way for her to be accepted to the college’s nursing program after graduation. 

Read more about Sydney’s Bryan College of Health Sciences experience in this Q&A as she is one of our featured Focus Program Scholars.   

Name: Sydney

Home High School: Northwest High School 

Grade: 12

Focus Program: Bryan College of Health Sciences 

Why did you choose the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program?

I chose the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program because I didn’t know what career I wanted to pursue. I thought that if I liked what I was learning in the focus program then I could pursue a health career.

What do you like most about the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program?

I really enjoy that we get a variety of college credits and will have a lot more experience going into college. I also enjoy how small the class sizes are and how involved our instructors are. The instructors try their hardest to make sure that we have everything we need to succeed. 

What makes the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program different?

This program is different because while getting a wide variety of healthcare experience and college credits, you will get the opportunity to get your Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license. With this license, you can get a job at almost any nursing home, hospital, home health provider, etc. This means that you also will get a chance to jumpstart your career in the healthcare field. 

How do you get to explore your passions or interests at the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program?   

I got to explore my passions in this program because you take a class called Intro to Health Professions. In this class, you get to discover different healthcare careers. It’s where I found my passion for anesthesia and pushed me to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

How has attending the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program empowered you as a student?

I feel I’ve been empowered as a student because I’ve been given many opportunities to learn and see new things. I’ve done and seen things that not a lot of other high school seniors could say they’ve done, and that makes me feel empowered.

I got the opportunity to go to Bryan College of Health Sciences and see a cadaver lab. I know this is something that not a lot of other students in LPS might have had a chance to do, so it makes me feel empowered. 

What are your relationships with other students and staff like within the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program?

My relationships with other students and the staff are phenomenal. My class in the program is pretty small so we’ve all gotten to know each other really well. I can ask anybody in my class for help and I know they’ll give me the best answer they have. 

My teachers go above and beyond out of their way to make sure we’ve covered all material, know the material and are prepared for quizzes and exams. They also make sure that no one gets left behind and always have an open door for questions and concerns we might have. 

How has being a part of an LPS Focus Program added to your high school experience? 

I feel that I’ve become more confident being a part of a focus program. It’s given me a sense of purpose and I have something to look forward to every day at school. 

How has the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program prepared you for the future?

The Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program has prepared me for the future because I now have an outlook on how my college classes are going to be and I’m prepared for what I might experience in the healthcare field.

Why are focus programs like the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program important to high school students?

They're important to high school students because they give students the chance to explore career options that they might not get in their regular classes. I know that I would’ve never known about some of the healthcare careers I’ve learned about if I had never participated in this focus program. 

What is the greatest thing you’ve learned since attending the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program? 

I’ve learned how to give people the best care possible while also caring for myself. I’ve been able to learn a bunch of other amazing things about the human body and healthcare careers, but knowing when you have to put yourself first while also having someone else’s life in your hands is the greatest thing I’ve learned. This is because if you can’t be okay mentally and physically, you won’t be able to give your patients the best care possible. 

Choose your passion. Choose your community. Choose your future with LPS Focus Programs. 

Learn more about the Bryan College of Health Sciences at Northwest Focus Program by visiting its website at https://healthsciences.lps.org/

Don’t forget also to explore LPS Focus Programs at home.lps.org/focus.

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