More than 800 Chicago Public School students gathered in a gymnasium Tuesday, laughing and cheering at the top of their lungs, but the applause wasn’t for a basketball game.

It was for their future.

They participated in the 10th annual Citywide Health Careers Fair at Malcolm X College on Chicago’s West Side.  Students from two dozen elementary and high schools learned about different career paths in the health care field, where the job prospects are bright.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care jobs are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations.  Employment of registered nurses is expected to grow 23 percent between 2006 and 2016, while jobs for nursing and health aides are expected to grow 28 percent during the same period.

“There always seems to be [health care] jobs. There are career opportunities.  Besides that, the field of medicine has changed.  Every year there is a change.  Technology is much more involved,” said Dr. Vernita Irvin-Mays, one of the event’s coordinators. 

In addition, students went to workshops on teen dating violence and HIV/AIDS prevention.  As they sat through the many workshops and lectures, their day began with a performance not usually seen in biology or anatomy class.

They were treated to the spoken word poetry of Tap Roots, Inc., a West Side collective which reminded those who choose to work in health care of the responsibilities they will have in their communities.

“As future health care providers--listen up," exhorted Tap Roots poet "Mama" Brenda Matthews. 

"It appears that Chicago is one of the most violent cities in this nation.  Every day, it seems like there is another shooting.

“It will be you who will minister to the hearts of these gangbangers and thugalicious brothers on a path of destruction.  Don’t look down on nobody.”

Students from Richards Career Academy participated in a workshop dealing with similar topics to help them prepare for life after high school.  Four of the students, who are expectant parents, will have to prepare sooner rather than later. 

Prevention specialist Kimberly Taylor used her experiences as a young mother to show students how easy it is for one action to lead to multiple mistakes.

“I didn’t think about the choices I was making back then.  See, we think we can smoke one drug and be okay.  We think that we can take one drink, and it’ll be okay.  We think we can get in one relationship that’s abusive.  He whips on your head one minute.  You walk away from it, and it’ll be okay.  But sometimes the damages are permanent,” Taylor said.

Richards teacher Kimberly Murchison sees such tools as a better way of communicating with students.

“Having them address them in the tone in which they talk, the language in which they use, it’ll click in their mind and touch their hearts.  Because they’re like, ‘you’re not talking at me, you’re talking with me.’”