SAN ANTONIO (September 13, 2023) – CAST Schools kicks off CAST Imagines this week, a student-led event designed to offer deeper understanding of and generate new possibilities for San Antonio in collaboration with their community. San Antonio’s Southside offers a unique opportunity to imagine solutions for healthcare, and CAST Med High School serves as the official launch point on Thursday, September 14 from 1:30 – 4 p.m. The entire student body will be joined by dozens of industry, civic and healthcare leaders to discuss the following topics prioritized by CAST Med students:

• Cancer

• Healthcare access and insurance

• Heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory infections

• Homelessness

• Mental health, with an emphasis on anxiety, depression, and self-image

• Nutrition

• Healthy relationships and teen pregnancy

Approximately one quarter of the 65+ population surrounding CAST Med in City Council Districts 3 and 4 is without health insurance, and tens of thousands of San Antonio residents are losing their Medicaid coverage due to the cancellation of pandemic-era expansion. The area is served by only one hospital, with a second not scheduled to open until 2027. This creates challenges for the community as well as opportunities for area public schools, colleges, and universities to find new ways to fill that void.

CAST Imagines will draw upon the intersection of community health, civic engagement, and education at CAST Med, and build connections to families, the public, and partners to the southside community.

“CAST Med was created because of a huge need for doctors and researchers in the San Antonio area and is uniquely positioned to bridge healthcare and education in creative and collaborative ways,” said Dr. Anthony Khosravi, CAST Med Principal.

San Antonio has one of the fastest-growing U.S. economies, but it is also one of the most racially and economically segregated cities. CAST is dedicated to closing the gap on income inequality and nurturing San Antonio’s homegrown talent.

“CAST Imagines builds on the CAST Pillar of student voice by promoting students as co-creators and co-problem solvers, while addressing real-world needs,” said Jeanne Russell, CAST Schools Executive Director.

CAST Med High School opened in SAISD at Brooks in 2019 to prepare students for careers in biomedical research, medical professions, and public health. It is part of the CAST Schools network of tuition-free, public schools open to Bexar County students that also includes high schools CAST Tech, CAST Teach, CAST STEM, CAST Lead and the Advanced Learning Academy, which serves grades Pre-K through 12. Co-created as a regional partnership between independent school districts, higher education institutions, and local employers, CAST offers a new model of teaching and learning.

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ABOUT THE CAST Schools Network

The Centers for Applied Science & Technology (CAST) is a San Antonio-based network of tuition-free, public schools with a mission to reinvent schooling in order to maximize options for students while preparing them for college, career, and life. Open to all Bexar County students, the network includes high schools CAST Tech, CAST Teach, CAST STEM, CAST Med, CAST Lead and the Advanced Learning Academy. Schools are co-created with industry, and partner with area public school districts, including Northside, San Antonio, Southwest, and East Central ISDs. For more information, visit castschools.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.