Hailey Class of 2024
Hailey (Class of 2024) has always wanted to be a nurse. After starting at the Academy in 2022, she jumped full force into all the opportunities available to her, including internships.
Hailey’s internship and work experience during her time at the Academy includes Cardiac Progressive Care (CPC), orthopedics, oncology, and labor and delivery. Hailey began by receiving her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate and continued to build off that license. When volunteering at St. Elizabeth Hospital near her hometown of Vevay, she had the opportunity to shadow the labor and delivery unit where she experienced seven births. She wrote an article about her experiences for the Academy’s newspaper club which is now being used as promotional material for the hospital.
During the Indiana Academy’s May-Term, Hailey interned with Riley Children’s Health at IU Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie located near the Indiana Academy which gave her experience with pediatrics. She shadowed doctors and a medical assistant and worked at the front desk. Hailey said this internship let her interact with the children and taught her what to look for regarding illness or injuries. After the internship was completed, she was offered a job with IU Ball Memorial as a patient care technician. She accepted the position and currently works on the Cardiac Progressive Care unit while still in high school at the Academy. Hailey’s work includes taking vitals, running labs, checking in on the patient, and reporting to a nursing supervisor.
Hailey’s passion for healthcare also includes a special interest in the heart She participated in the health science summer institute at Hanover College where she got to stay in the dorms and work closely with health science professors. During the program, she learned how to properly dress and sterilize medical instruments, how to read heart rhythms, and learn more about how the heart works. She gave a lecture about the heart where she showed an ultrasound of her heart and explained how it worked to the audience.
She also attended the Indiana University East residential nursing camp. There, she learned how to do stitches, pack wounds, take vitals, and how to give different types of injections. Hailey constantly learns new things about her field while also participating in leadership activities with the Indiana Academy and community organizations like the Shaefer Leadership Academy. For the Shaefer Leadership Academy in Muncie, each student was required to complete a service project. Hailey’s group worked to bridge the gap between older and younger generations. Hailey is passionate about building relationships and connecting people. The group speaks with older adults and asks them to share their stories. They then surveyed students around their age to see how they would handle the situation shared in the older adult’s story. The goal was to build a stronger connection with these generations through technology and storytelling.
Hailey is a student ambassador for the Indiana Academy, a member of the National Society for High School Scholars, a tennis and soccer player, and participates in the Global Scholar Program. Hailey had such a positive experience during her internship at IU Ball Memorial Hospital that she is working with Dr. Joel Olufowote, Director of Academic Affairs, and Indiana University to create an internship program for students interested in nursing.
Hailey thanks the Academy for providing her with hands-on learning experiences which helped her learn how to perform for her future career. She specifically thanks Ms. Jessica Edrington, Assistant Lecturer of Mathematics, for helping her with her math skills. Ms. Edrington worked closely with Hailey when Hailey needed help in various math courses and quickly became someone Hailey could confide in.
“When I got accepted into college and everything, she’s the first person I showed. And she celebrated with me,” said Hailey. “She’s been a really big impact on my life here.”
Hailey lives by the philosophy “positive things happen to positive people,” something her father always said to her. She said that she cannot control every outcome, but she can always control her attitude and response.
Hailey will attend the University of Saint Francis Honors College with direct entry into the nursing program. With the groundwork Hailey laid here at the Academy, Ball State University, and Ball Memorial Hospital, she will enter the program at the sophomore level. She will further her studies and practical experience at Indiana’s top-ranked hospital, Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. At the University of Saint Francis, Hailey will play for the women’s tennis team.
“With this opportunity, I’ll not only be advancing my nursing career but also showcasing my athletic prowess on the tennis court,” said Hailey.
She will continue to expand her knowledge through various trainings and educational opportunities at other hospitals while working towards her Bachelor of Science in nursing.