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Optima Medical, Arizona’s leading primary care provider, donated $15,000 to a program that helps local Yavapai County students prepare for post-secondary education and life after high school. The donation will help fund Naviance, a college and career readiness portal that has been used by students and their families since 2019 through a partnership between the Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) and the Prescott Unified School District Education Foundation.
At PUSD, students begin their process of self-discovery, career search, and university or technical school match from the 8th year. The Naviance portal enables parents, guidance counselors and educators to work with students to shape their careers and college futures. The Naviance program reinforces a culture that supports the expectation of post-secondary education for all students, regardless of academic achievement, by connecting the dots between student interest and potential career choices.
“Our support of Naviance’s college and career readiness program at PUSD will help provide students with the tools and resources to pursue their academic and career goals,” said Mike O’Neil, CEO of Optima Medical.
Many Optima Medical employees and patients have attended PUSD schools, and several of their children are currently attending classes in the school district. With a focus on youth development and career advancement, Optima hopes this donation will leave a lasting impact on current and future residents of Yavapai County.
According to the Arizona Business and Education Coalition, 85% of good jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, yet only 38% of young adults in Arizona get advanced job training. While prioritizing the importance of healthcare and education, Optima Medical recognized the game-changing technology Naviance has to offer and the impact it could have on PUSD students.
In addition to Naviance, the funds also helped create a sensory room as part of the PUSD Discovery Preschool program.
About Optima Medical:
Optima Medical is an Arizona-based medical group with 14 locations and 60 medical providers, caring for more than 120,000 patients statewide. Their mission is to improve the quality of life throughout Arizona by helping communities “Live Better, Live Longer” through personalized health care, with an emphasis on preventing the leading causes of death from country.
Optima Medical goes beyond primary care with a full range of services including cardiovascular health services, behavioral health, allergy testing and immunotherapy, in-house laboratory testing, imaging, management chronic diseases and other specialized health services. The group has six locations in Yavapai County, as well as offices in Casa Grande, Peoria, Safford, Sierra Vista and Tucson. Optima Medical also recently added locations in Gilbert and Queen Creek.
Optima seeks to expand its regional outreach program by engaging with community members by sponsoring school and athletic programs, hosting local events, attending job fairs, and helping those in need. Readers are encouraged to submit suggestions and ideas to [email protected].
For more information, visit https://optimamedicalaz.com/ or consult us on Facebook.
About the Prescott Unified School District Educational Foundation:
The PUSD Education Foundation provides funding for programs and activities that have been unfunded or underfunded through the normal operating budget. State funding cuts have now become so drastic that private funding from the foundation helps provide innovative classroom grants for teachers, free educational supplies to support classroom instruction, career and college preparation for students , as well as teacher recognition and retention programs.
To learn more about the PUSD Education Foundation, visit: www.PUSDEducationFoundation.com.
Find out who else is making a difference in Quad Cities with more stories from Community Connections on Signals A Z.com!
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