For most high school students, learning ends when the final bell rings. But for some Boise School District students, the school day continues inside the halls of Saint Alphonsus.Through the Boise School District's Dennis Technic al Education Center, students can earn their Certified Nursing Assistant certification while still in high school, gaining hands-on clinical experience and a head start on careers in healthcare. WATCH | Hear from local students about how the program is helping them grow: Boise teens gain real-world nursing experience at Saint AlphonsusOne of those students is Boise High School graduate Anna Hunt, who began the program at age 16. Through her clinical training at Saint Alphonsus, Hunt discovered a passion for nursing and was hired as a CNA before graduating high school."Every single day, I leave and I've learned something new or I've seen something that's new," Hunt said. "It's kind of made me 100 percent sure that that's what I want to do, because I've seen the difference that they make in patients' experiences."Now a freshman at Boise State University studying pre-nursing, Hunt continues working at Saint Alphonsus while pursuing her degree.Hospital leaders say students coming through the DTEC program arrive eager to learn and gain real-world experience."They really do want to experience it all and soak up the information and everything we have to offer," said Zach Graves, a nurse manager at Saint Alphonsus.The program comes as Idaho continues to face healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in nursing and in rural communities. By introducing students to healthcare careers early, leaders say DTEC helps create a pipeline of future workers while giving students valuable career experience before they graduate.Many students who complete the program return to hospitals after graduation while continuing their education."Sometimes they'll tell people their age and they're like, 'I can't believe you're doing this already,'" Graves said. "They really blow people out of the water."For Hunt, the experience helped solidify both her career path and college choice."All the nurses that I work with and talk to are all very passionate about their jobs," she said. "It's a profession that we always need people in, and I am really excited to stay with Saint Alphonsus. That's a big part of why I chose Boise State."This fall, Saint Alphonsus will host about 40 DTEC students, offering them a firsthand look at life inside the hospital and helping them explore future careers in healthcare.As the Treasure Valley continues to grow and demand for healthcare workers increases, programs like DTEC are helping connect students with opportunities that can take them from the classroom to the hospital floor. ...read more read less