You can't escape the Silva Experience!
(SILVA HEALTH MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL -- July 22, 2021) — Silva Health Magnet was transformed into a series of escape rooms Wednesday to give incoming freshmen a chance to explore the campus’ health care offerings while bonding with their new classmates.
More than 160 incoming freshmen received an acceptance letter to join Silva’s class of 2025. Many of them attended the camp where they escaped with knowledge about the school’s dental, vet tech, LVN and pharmacology programs.
“We want our students to know that, yes indeed, you need the intellect to be a Silva student and future healthcare provider. But the most important attribute is to have a heart – a heart for others, for each other and for the profession,” said Silva coordinator Denise Galvez. “Being in the healthcare field entails having a servant's heart and getting paid is just an added bonus.”
At the end of the escape rooms, students received a certificate of excellence for successfully completing the first step in becoming a Silva Scholar and a stethoscope pin and card.
“We thought escape room was the best idea for our freshman since so many are coming different middle schools,” said senior Alyssa Cisneros. “Each escape room was built on the programs offered here at Silva. We set them up in the way, to show how to react in that environment so they can get to know what environment they will work best in.”
Freshman Emily Morales, who’s dreamed of being a doctor since she was little, enjoyed the kick-off to her high school health care career.
“The escape rooms were really cool,” Morales said. “I loved interacting and communicating with people. I think I’ve made a few friends out of it.”
Her new classmate Joseph Melver joined Morales through the escape rooms.
“This is very exciting,” he smiled. “I want to be a nurse – that’s my dream.”
Cisneros hopes the freshmen left the camp with the same “wow factor” she felt at her freshman camp.
“I remember leaving the camp thinking ‘I’m so in love with the school. There’s so much that I can do that I really want to do,’” said Cisneros, who wants to be a pediatrician or neurologist.
“That’s what we want to leave them with – that wow factor that this is the school for me. This is school makes that me feel at home and the school that makes me want to pursue big, big dreams.”