KC STEM Goes Red
KC STEM Goes Red. | Photo by Julia Williams

Julia Williams

Editor-in-Chief

Along with The American Heart Association (AHA), Kansas City University (KCU) hosted a stream of 150 female students ranging from 14 to 17 years old from Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) on Friday, March 7 for its “KC STEM Goes Red” event. 

Backed by an initiative, which was started in 2004 by The AHA — a nationwide, nonprofit healthcare organization on a mission of the education and prevention of heart disease and stroke —  “Go Red for Women”  operates to bring attention toward women’s cardiovascular health, according to its website.  KC STEM Goes Red additionally works to honor Women’s History Month, and to encourage young women entering into — or those interested in pursuing —  science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) career fields. 

Several sponsors were in attendance including — but not limited to — Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Johnson County Community College, Garmin and The University of Kansas Health System. 

Each of these sponsors had their own breakout session to educate students; Of the sessions offered on March 7 included KCU’s J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation Simulation Suite. 

KCPS students practice patient simulations, which are a part of Kansas City University’s J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation Simulation Suite. | Photo by Julia Williams

This simulation room, the same rooms students attending the University use to practice in, allowed students in attendance an opportunity to interact with simulated patients. Students walked around a mock patient room with provided clip boards, which included a checklist, as if they were a nurse or doctor checking on a patient. Items included on the checklist included blood pressure and heart rate that were tested manually with a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. 

Stethoscopes and clipboards KCPS students used during simulation rooms at Kansas City University, March 7. | Photo by Julia Williams

A monitor was present in the room, allowing instructors to speak to the students as if they were the patients — guiding the students through the simulation. 

Central High School located at 3221 Indiana Ave., was among the many KCPS schools in participation, and Special Education Teacher Dymon Bryant shared it was Central’s third year attending a KCU simulation field trip. 

“It’s the hands-on engagement the children experience, [they] learn how to prevent illnesses and can ask questions themselves,” Bryant said when asked her favorite aspect of the event. 

Bryant said it is the vocational-technical (vo-tech) programs, which KCPS offers, that aid in providing students with additional education in STEM fields prior to high school graduation. 

KCPS career and technical education course programs range anywhere from health science and nursing, automotive repair, technology and computer science, cosmetology and Project Lead the Way: engineering, among others. 

Bryant said that while Central High School participates with KCU for its skilled learning once a year, Central will additionally participate in similar field trips to other local area universities including The University of Kansas. 

Within the simulation breakout rooms, KCU Simulation Nurse Educators additionally gave presentations including a demonstration on labor and delivery.

KCU Simulation Nurse Educators Melissa Trybom and Lindsey Abbott give simulation presentation to KCPS students during KC STEM Goes Red event, March 7. | Photo by Julia Williams

“It’s urgent,” KCU Simulation Nurse Educator Melissa Trybom said in response to the importance of educating young women. “There’s so much burn-out occurring, it’s really critical.” 

Simulation Nurse Lindsey Abbott joined Trybom for the presentation on March 7 — reiterating the importance of the healthcare field and its need to attract the next generation of professionals.

“I think back to when I was their age and needed someone to inspire [me],” Abbott said in an interview. “[I] think about the change [I] can make.” 

Trybom and Abbott mentioned the importance of a gradual exposure into the field of medicine — emphasizing their technique of starting out with a basic introduction to empower students, rather than scaring them into it. Trybom said this is achieved through patient simulations as she feels that is the safest way for students to encounter healthcare. 

Students gain hands-on experience during KCU’s “KC STEM Goes Red” event, March 7. | Photo by Julia Williams

Another KCPS school in attendance included Lincoln College Preparatory Academy (2111 Woodland Ave.), and two of its students — juniors, Emri Myers and Olivia Smith.

Both Myers and Smith shared they were encouraged to attend the KC STEM Goes Red event by their math teacher as each student shared they possess an interest in STEM-related careers. 


“It’s exciting to be around women in nursing and surrounded within the simulation career,” Myers shared in an interview.

Myers and Smith additionally said they are both a part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and currently take courses — including IB Science, Biomedical Science and IB Chemistry — which are catered toward the careers they hope to go into, with nursing for Myers and a law field potential for Smith. 

“Seeing women in fields predominantly dominated by men, it’s inspiring,” Smith said in an interview. 

For additional information on The American Heart Association or its “Go Red for Women” initiative, visit: https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/. For more information on Kansas City University, visit: https://www.kansascity.edu/.