From Classroom to Clinic: How Work-Based Learning Jumpstarted Naliya Lytle’s Healthcare Career

When Naliya Lytle entered her Career & Technical Education (CTE) Health Sciences class during her junior year at Galesburg-Augusta High School, she never expected to be walking the halls of a major hospital as an intern just a year later.

But when Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA)’s Work-Based Learning (WBL) coordinators visited her class to pitch a unique opportunity, Naliya decided to try it out.

"They came in and said that we might be able to intern at the hospital next year, and they told everybody to apply," Naliya recalls. "I was like, sure, why not?"

What followed was an interview, a selection, and a senior year spent largely inside Beacon Health System’s Kalamazoo hospital.

As a WBL student, Naliya gained hands-on, clinical experience that allows her to get ahead while in high school and plan her future.

"We did a lot [in CTE last year], and most of it did transfer to here," Naliya says. "I've learned how to do blood sugars. I've learned about priming IVs, how to start them, and what to look for in the chart."

That hands-on preparation hasn't just given her confidence; it’s given her the confidence to excel in her internship and know what she wants to do ahead of graduation.

"I think it'll help me towards the future, especially talking with some of the nursing students here," Naliya says. "They've said that it would be super sweet if they got to do this, because I see them not knowing how to do some stuff that I have already learned how to do, which is really cool."

Naliya’s presence has made a resounding impact on the hospital's Medical-Surgical unit, Eight North. Susan Smith, the clinical nurse manager for the unit, has watched Naliya flourish.

"She comes in when she doesn't necessarily need to for extra learning," Smith says. "She spends extra time finding out what the patients need while she's here. And then she also encourages the staff to go the extra mile as well and help her with tasks. I frequently find that the staff is helping Naliya, so she's inspiring our staff in that way as well."

For Smith, hosting students from the WBL program is both a professional joy and a personal passion.

"I do have a soft spot for the KRESA students because I have kids the same age," Smith admits. "They're so eager. They want to learn, and they want to do patient care, and see what it's really like. We take a special interest in those students because they're going to build our healthcare workforce. These are the students who are going to be caring for us one day."

KRESA coordinates WBL and CTE programs, bridging high school learning with real-world experience and future career opportunities.

"It's a really unique opportunity because not every school offers these types of programs," says Smith. "And so for KRESA to funnel in all the area schools and then give those students an equal opportunity to learn and grow, completely free before they enter the college space, is really great."

In addition to her hospital hours, Naliya takes advantage of KRESA’s Early/Middle College program. This initiative allows students to earn an associate degree or certificate with an additional year of high school.

"It's like there's no point in not doing [Early/Middle College]," Naliya says. "You literally just get free college. It’s really nice."

With a solid foundation of hospital experience, college credits, and a glowing reputation at Beacon Health already under her belt, Naliya's future in medicine is bright. While she loves the fast-paced environment of Eight North, where "all the staff is nice and the patients are so sweet," her ultimate dream lies in a different wing of the hospital.

"I just like the health field and being able to help people," Naliya says. "I do eventually plan on working with babies, because I love babies."