Elena Bartak is taking full advantage of her time as a DCG student.
“I have a lot of questions as a high schooler,” she says.
Her questions are being answered, thanks to an experience in our school-to-work program. Elena is working at Elevate Physical Therapy in Johnston.
“The school-to-work program has given me the opportunity to be exposed to PT’s like no other,” says Bartak.
Talk about the perfect match. Elena “thought” she might want to work in this field. Now she “knows” this is the spot for her.
“It makes me want to go into something with sports medicine even more,” she says. “It really propels me to want to do what they do every single day.”
Elena’s daily routine at Elevate features a little bit of everything. From cleaning and sanitizing equipment to greeting clients on arrival, there are important projects to complete. Her eagerness to work has been a great thing for our district partners at Elevate.
“I’ve never seen Elena without a smile,” says Andrew Bartek, Physical Therapist and Elevate Owner. “She’s positive. She’s engaging with our staff and the clients alike.”
Elena joins a great list of DCG school-to-work students working at Elevate. Community partners are key to the success of this program. It’s a win-win for both groups.
“They are one school we’ve spent a lot of time increasing our relationship with because all of our students have been awesome,” adds Bartek.
That path to success is great news to students like Elena. Being around the right people can make all the difference.
“My communication skills have gone above and beyond what I could’ve imagined,” she says. “I interact with so many people on a daily basis. I feel like that will be very important for the workforce I’m going into.”
The school-to-work program at DCG continues to feature students and community partners working together in a way that benefits both groups. Elena’s success at Elevate is the perfect example.
“I can take every little bit that the PT’s are doing to their patients, the exercises, the movements, and apply it to my life as well,” says Elena. “I get a further understanding of what they are doing.”