Good afternoon, Chairman Mendelson and members of the Council. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
I'm Jonathan Tejada-Flores. I grew up in Ward 5 and graduated from Bell Multicultural High School in 2025. During my junior and senior years of high school, I participated in the General Nursing pathway at the Advanced Technical Center (ATC) and became an advocate for Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), serving as a public relations officer for my chapter. Through a career fair at the ATC, I learned about DC HEAL, an apprenticeship through the DC Hospital Association and CityWorks DC. The ATC staff encouraged me to apply, and just this month, I completed a one-year, full-time healthcare apprenticeship as an employee of Whitman-Walker Health, where I began as a Health Information Specialist, became a Certified Medical Assistant, and earned over $35,000 without taking on any debt.
Now, I’m proud to say I have been hired as a full-time CMA at Whitman-Walker Health, and I am pursuing my nursing degree at Trinity Washington University with the hope of eventually attending medical school.
One of the things I loved most about the apprenticeship was earning money while learning. Having my own money taught me financial responsibility and the difference between necessities and wants. I pay my own college tuition and even contribute to my family.
Most importantly, I am getting paid to be trained, where far too many of my peers pay for experience and/or take on substantial debt.
Through my apprenticeship, I've grown as a person and also become more confident in my abilities and my future success. I have also learned how to balance my career and education and build stronger relationships.
One moment that stands out to me is when I connected with a patient and helped them feel comfortable and open with me. Over time, we built a positive connection. Whenever I called their name, they would light up, share updates about their life, and crack jokes while I helped with triage. Experiences like this showed me how important it is to build trust and make patients feel comfortable in a healthcare setting no matter how different we are.
I'm here because I want more students in DC to gain these experiences. Opportunities like the ATC and DC HEAL apprenticeship can help students discover their interests, gain real-world experience, and prepare for careers while continuing their education. I encourage the Council to make more earn-and-learn and career-connected learning opportunities available to students across the District.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
