In an area of BELIEVE Academy equipped like a hospital room, high school students use real stethoscopes and other medical tools to examine “patients,” often a classmate or a lifesize simulation doll.
These north St. Louis teens aren’t just learning about health care; they’re training for careers while earning college credit. At BELIEVE Academy, a tuition-free early college and career high school, students work toward diplomas, professional certifications and even associate degrees earned during their four years of high school.
The school’s partnership with BJC HealthCare, supported by a $10 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies, is the first of its kind in St. Louis. It blends classroom instruction with up to 10 hours a week of hands-on learning alongside BJC clinicians, giving students real exposure to patient care, medical technology and workplace expectations.
“It’s a beautiful, blossoming partnership with BJC,” said Tambra Pendleton, founding principal of BELIEVE Academy.
Students apply what they learn both in labs and at home, where they often practice skills like blood pressure checks on family members, strengthening ties between education, health and community.
“It’s very hands-on,” said Pendleton, recently honored with a St. Louis American Foundation Salute to Excellence award. “BJC has poured into our students — not just teaching skills, but building their confidence and character.”
The partnership aims for more than half of graduates to move directly into roles within the BJC system, helping meet workforce needs while creating pathways to stable, high-wage jobs for young people in north St. Louis.
BELIEVE opened last fall with 37 freshmen and plans to grow to 400 students by 2028. With college courses, clinical training and support from a major health-care partner, leaders say students are stepping into futures once harder to access, right in the neighborhoods they call home.