Bloomberg Philanthropies Supports BJC HealthCare and BELIEVE Academy Partnership to Strengthen the Health Care Workforce

Aryana Jones has just finished a full day of learning at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing, both part of BJC HealthCare in St. Louis. She was recently certified to take patients’ vital signs, and now she’s learning how to measure blood pressure and draw blood—all part of her path to earning her patient-care tech certification.

But Aryana is not a college student. She’s a 16-year-old high school freshman at BELIEVE Academy, a charter school that opened in the City of St. Louis in fall 2024. The school represents an innovative partnership between BELIEVE, BJC HealthCare, The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, education nonprofit The Opportunity Trust, and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

BELIEVE Academy is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ national initiative to create health care-focused high schools in 12 communities across the country and, in October 2025, received a $10 million investment. This first-of-its-kind approach partners health systems with high schools and aims to equip students with the skills and credentials needed to graduate directly into the health care workforce. As part of the initiative, each school will offer specialized health care classes, work-based learning at the partner health system, and the opportunity to earn industry-valued credentials and certifications.

“I thought we were going to just watch how people did things,” Aryana says. “But in this program, we do it ourselves. This program challenges me and pushes me to do things I wouldn’t normally do. It’s making me want to come to school every day because every day is something new and hands-on. Education like that sticks in your brain.”

Expanding an investment in the future of care

If you’ve ever needed care from a physician, nurse, therapist, or other health care professional, you can appreciate that a strong, skilled workforce is essential to America’s health care system. However, hospitals and health care systems are grappling with staffing shortages, which predated COVID-19 but were also intensified by—and linger after—the pandemic.

Schools like BELIEVE Academy could help solve this challenge.

In St. Louis, the high school partnered with BJC to develop six career-immersion pathways for students in nursing, clinical lab sciences, respiratory care, radiologic technology, surgical-related services, and professional support. BELIEVE Academy students spend 60% of their time in the classroom and the rest—six to 10 hours per week—at a local BJC HealthCare hospital or Goldfarb. Team members from BJC and Goldfarb also provide on-site supervision and education of BELIEVE students while they train in hospitals and in Goldfarb's Clinical Simulation Lab.

On October 30, partners held a ribbon cutting and student-led tours of BELIEVE Academy’s new 53,000-square-foot school, which includes a BJC Simulation & Learning Lab. Built with support from The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the lab aids students in practicing patient care before entering the hospital setting. Thanks to Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investment, the partners are strategically expanding the innovative education program, with a goal to increase enrollment from their current 200 students to 400 by 2028.

“We are grateful for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ extraordinary investment in the health care education partnership connecting BJC HealthCare and BELIEVE Academy,” says John Lynch, MD, group president of BJC HealthCare East Region and president of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “From the classroom to clinical settings, these talented students are on their way to creating stable, meaningful careers that will make our region’s hospitals stronger and improve the health of our entire community.”

“We are proud to support BELIEVE and its robust partnership with BJC HealthCare,” says Jenny Sharfstein Kane, who leads the Career and Technical Education portfolio at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “By giving students in St. Louis clear career pathways, significant work-based learning opportunities, and industry-recognized credentials, BELIEVE will help develop the next generation of health care workers at BJC and help meet the health care needs in St. Louis.”

A head-start in a high-demand career

BELIEVE Academy freshman Deshon Luckett, 15, is leaning toward a career as a medical dosimetrist, a health care professional who designs radiation therapy treatment plans. He was inspired by a relative with cancer and a monthlong immersion in radiology at WashU Medicine, BJC’s academic physician partner. “And then to be supported with other opportunities to help get my education—that is a plus,” Deshon says.

Through dual-enrollment opportunities, students like Deshon can get a jump-start on an associate’s degree or certifications in health care. As a result, students can begin a health care job at BJC with a family sustaining wage immediately after graduation, or they can advance their career in post-secondary education.

“Bloomberg Philanthropies’ support is fueling our ability to advance health and education in our St. Louis community,” says Steven Player, BJC vice president of Belonging and Inclusion. “This is an opportunity for BJC to expose students to health care careers, while also providing them with the prospect of meaningful employment, ideally within BJC, where they can continue to thrive. Together with our community partners, we’re creating a ripple effect of healthier communities, stronger families, and a more equitable workforce. That’s a win we can all feel good about.”

The dual-credit program doesn’t just open doors—it also saves families money. Thirty-seven BELIEVE freshman collectively saved $50,000 in tuition through dual-credit enrollment at St. Louis Community College, one of BELIEVE’s secondary education partners.

“We’ve created a launch pad toward a more solid future,” says BELIEVE Academy founder Kimberly Neal-Brannum. “This model reduces overall student debt, increases graduates’ ability to earn a living wage, and prepares students to enroll in post-secondary institutions to further their education and career opportunities. This program not only equips our students with marketable skills and knowledge but prepares those who are passionate about health care to advance their careers much sooner. Students are set up for success.”

“This partnership demonstrates what’s possible when a trusted intermediary like The Opportunity Trust bridges national philanthropy, ecosystem expertise, and local partners seeking to innovate," says Eric Scroggins, founder and CEO of The Opportunity Trust. "By connecting and coordinating with Bloomberg Philanthropies, BJC HealthCare, and BELIEVE Academy, we enabled this transformative investment in St. Louis that will allow us to expand educational opportunity and strengthen our community.”

To learn more about this innovative program or about how philanthropy supports workforce pathway programs like this one, please contact Derek May at [email protected].

Read more about BELIEVE Academy.