Centennial Area Health Education Center

WHAT ARE AHEC SCHOLARS???

AHEC Scholars is a FREE program for health professions students interested in supplementing their education by gaining additional knowledge and experience in rural and/or underserved urban settings.

Learning Opportunities:
-Inter-professional Education
-Behavioral Health Integration
-Connecting Communities & Supporting Health Professionals
-Virtual Learning & Telehealth
-Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)
-Cultural Competency
-Practice Transformation

To learn more or to register at ➡️https://www.cahec.org/ahec-scholar

👨‍🎓Health Career Student Housing...
What it is? Why it's important? How to sign up… and more!

You simply need to have a spare room with a lockable door, a bed in the bedroom, and a bathroom (shared or private space).
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WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
You will help students reach their academic goals
Introduce students to a rural setting and a your community
You will be compensated with a per diem stipend per night for the duration of the student's stay.

Learn more at ➡️https://www.cahec.org/host-a-student

During Loneliness Awareness Week (June 15 - 21), it is important to remember how meaningful simple moments of connection can be.
Even small acts of kindness can help ensure no senior feels forgotten during Loneliness Awareness Week and beyond. Loneliness can have a serious impact on the health and well-being of older adults.

CircleTalk:
-Brings people together in in-person or virtual groups for shared conversation and personal expression
-Uses structured best practices that help participants feel heard, seen, and known
-Supports the development of ongoing connection and community
-Incorporates a social fitness model that strengthens relational skills over time

Find a CIRCLE TALK near you...
🌐Connect in Person and/or virtually @ https://circletalk.org/

🇺🇸Every June 14th, we celebrate the Stars and Stripes on Flag Day. While we’re all familiar with the United States’ flag, we might not know all of the history behind this symbol.

To celebrate, we wanted to share a few fun facts about the history of the flag that might surprise you:

🔹 The current 50-star design was created by a 17-year-old. Robert G. Heft of Lancaster, Ohio, submitted the design as a high school project in 1958. It was chosen by President Eisenhower out of more than 3,000 submissions in 1960.

🔹 There have been 27 official versions of the flag. Twenty-five of those changes were solely to update the number of stars every time a new state joined the Union. The star additions were admitted on July 4th, and, together, they give us a rich visual history of the country's growth over time.

🔹 The colors for the flag have taken on their own meanings over the years. Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress in 1774, suggested that red represents hardiness and valor, white symbolizes purity and innocence, and blue stands for vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

🔹 Six American flags have been planted on the moon. Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin were the first, but five additional Apollo missions have also left a flag on the lunar surface.

🔹 The current design is the longest-running version in history. No new states have been added since Hawaii joined the union in 1959, making this the most enduring flag design the country has ever had.

🇺🇸Wishing you a wonderful Flag Day filled with pride and appreciation for the history behind the flag we share.

Everything we do is rooted in our mission to inspire, promote, and support the next generation of Colorado’s health workforce. This mission guides how our team serves, supports, and creates meaningful change throughout our rural communities.

Through our programs and initiatives focused on health career exploration, workforce development, and community health education, we strive to increase access to quality healthcare by strengthening and sustaining the pipeline of future health professionals. The work we do is driven by a commitment to equity, education, and community-centered impact.

With the support of our community, we can turn our purpose into progress and create lasting impact where it matters most. We invite you to join us in making a difference.

Donate, volunteer, or learn how you can get involved today by visiting www.cahec.org.

👨‍⚕️A-Z Health Careers

C- is for Cardiac Sonographer, also known as echocardiographers, are healthcare professionals specially trained to use imaging technology to help physicians diagnose heart problems in patients.

Learn more at ➡️https://college.mayo.edu/academics/explore-health-care-careers/careers-a-z/cardiac-sonographer/

🌟Student Highlight🌟

👋Meet Madelaine Johnson. CAHEC-Centennial Area Health Education Center welcomed Madelaine January of 2026.
📝She worked alongside Wendy Abbott, who is our Compassionate Care Training Specialist at CAHEC.

"Throughout my practicum, I learned so much about collaboration, community engagement, survey development, program evaluation, and best practices in health education and training. Working with the Compassionate Care Dementia Training program strengthened my understanding of the importance of person-centered dementia care and reinforced my passion for improving health outcomes through education and partnership.
I am incredibly grateful to everyone at CAHEC for their support throughout my practicum, especially Wendy Abbott, who was a wonderful mentor. The guidance, encouragement, and hands-on experience I received will continue to shape me as I move forward in my future career in public health."

To find out more about what CAHEC is all about check out our website at: https://www.cahec.org/

Today is our executive director's birthday - Happy Birthday, Melissa!
Melissa's wish is for more people to get a will completed. She is passionate about this because she lost her husband 6 years ago to ALS. Dane was just 55 when he passed. None of us know what can happen. Give your family (and yourself) the gift of peace of mind - create a FREE will using our online tool:
https://cahec.willforgood.com/

⛑️First responders carry more than what you see.

During PTSD Awareness Month this June, we want to recognize the mental and emotional challenges that many of our local heroes face behind the scenes.

Through our partnerships with organizations like the 🛑 First Responder Trauma Center, we help connect these individuals with the specialized support they deserve.

🚨Supporting those who serve our communities starts with building awareness and ensuring easy access to care.
Find support and resources at ➡️www.cahec.org/mental-health.