Students from Whittier Elementary, Hunter Elementary and Hillside Elementary in West Valley City took part in a pilot program with University of Utah Health and University Neighborhood on May 24. The fifth and sixth graders visited the university campus for Imagine U Day, a program that demonstrates a secondary education is obtainable when students follow their passions. 

These West Valley elementary schools have a minority majority student population, with close to 47% of students identifying as Hispanic or Latino. During weeks before the event, students wrote essays on what they would like to be when they grow up. 

Once on campus, they separated into groups to participate in activities including a mock trial at the S.J. Quinney College of Law, examining art at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, a prototyping activity at the David Eccles School of Business, working in a medical simulation lab at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine and interacting with University of Utah student-athletes

The multi-year initiative will facilitate engagement and build lasting partnerships with principals, parents and students at the community schools near the newly proposed U of U Health medical care campus in West Valley City. λ