West York students gain hands‑on hospital experience through new UPMC partnership

Mark Hoffman, the district’s supervisor of special education, told the board the district launched a work‑experience program with UPMC Memorial this school year that places students in two‑week rotations across hospital departments to build soft skills and job readiness. "We officially got students into the hospital around September 15," he said, and students attended roughly 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on rotation days.

UPMC’s volunteer coordinator, Rebecca Gross, said the first semester of the program produced more than 800 volunteer hours and estimated the value to the hospital at about $30,000 because "a volunteer is worth $39.74 an hour." Gross said students served in 21 departments overall and that placements both benefit departments and give students practical experience.

Erin Chancy, UPMC food services supervisor, told the board the volunteers have been particularly helpful during staffing shortages, noting they have been used "to serve visitors and employees at lunchtime." Chris Ross, the district’s learning support teacher who leads the program at the high school, said students practice workplace routines such as calling in absences, completing onboarding paperwork and, in some cases, obtaining state IDs needed for employment.

Students who took part described tangible outcomes: one student said the program helped her identify sterile processing as a career interest; another said the experience reinforced teamwork and communication. Ross said one student had already accrued about 180 hours, and that several students who struggled with attendance "have not missed a day" once participating in the placement.

District staff and administrators framed the initiative as part of a broader effort to expand transition‑to‑work opportunities for special education students and to mirror similar county programs. The district thanked UPMC and media students who produced a short video summarizing the placements.

The board did not take formal action on the presentation; it was provided as information for the public and for future planning.