Supporting Students, Schools and the Future of Healthcare
Lake Charles Memorial Health System’s partnership with the Calcasieu
Parish School Board is rooted in a shared commitment to helping Southwest
Louisiana thrive.
As the region’s community health system, Memorial believes strong
schools, supported educators and meaningful student experiences help build
a healthier future for everyone. Through this partnership, Memorial supports
students both in and beyond the classroom — helping create opportunities
for young people to learn, grow, stay safe and begin imagining their futures.
From athletic training and injury prevention to school-based support, health
education and career exploration, Memorial is proud to work alongside
CPSB to invest in the students, educators and families who shape the future
of Calcasieu Parish.
Memorial’s work with CPSB reaches across several areas of student
and school support. Each part of the partnership reflects a larger purpose:
helping students have access to meaningful experiences, supporting the
people who educate and mentor them, and strengthening the future workforce
of Southwest Louisiana.
For students, this means access to programs that promote safety, health
awareness, leadership, and career exploration.
For educators, it means having a community partner that recognizes the
importance of their work and supports opportunities that enrich the school
experience.
For the region, it means investing in the next generation of healthcare
professionals, community leaders, and neighbors who will help Southwest
Louisiana continue to grow.
Dedicated Care at Every Game and Practice
For decades, Lake Charles Memorial’s Sports Medicine team has partnered
with CPSB to provide professional athletic training support for high school
athletes across the parish.
Licensed athletic trainers work closely with coaches, parents, physicians
and orthopedic specialists to help support student athletes before, during
and after competition. Their work includes:
Injury prevention and assessment
On-site care during practices and sporting events
Timely treatment and referral when injuries occur
Recovery and rehabilitation guidance
Education and safety support for athletes, families and coaches
This long-standing partnership is rooted in the belief that student-athletes
deserve access to quality medical care where they need it most —
at school, on the field and in the moments that matter.
A Legacy of Excellence Expanding Into the Future
This long-standing partnership is one of the longest-running athletic training
programs in the state of Louisiana. In recognition of its impact, Memorial
Sports Medicine received the Excellence in Health and Safety Award from
the Louisiana Athletic Trainers’ Association, honoring the exceptional
level of care provided to athletes throughout the region.
In 2025, Memorial and CPSB renewed its partnerships formally through 2029,
with a goal to add even more capacity and services provided through the
program. This renewal brings additional certified trainers into schools
and expands services to provide better support to the health and success
of all student athletes in the parish.
Through the Foundation at Lake Charles Memorial, the safety of athletes
and spectators was expanded through a donation of life-saving AEDs (Automated
External Defibrillators) to schools across the parish – increasing
emergency preparedness and safety during sporting events.
Partners in Education: Supporting Oak Park Middle School
Lake Charles Memorial is proud to serve as a Partner in Education with
Oak Park Middle School, located just down the road from Memorial’s
flagship hospital on Oak Park Boulevard.
The Partners in Education Program connects local businesses, organizations
and individuals with Calcasieu Parish schools to support public education,
student well-being, family needs and the overall health of the community.
For Memorial, this partnership is a natural extension of our mission and
our role as a community health system.
By supporting Oak Park Middle School, Memorial has the opportunity to invest
directly in students and educators in our own neighborhood. This connection
helps create meaningful experiences for students, supports the people
preparing them for their future, and strengthens the relationship between
our health system and the community we serve.
Strong schools contribute to a stronger workforce, a more vibrant local
economy, and a healthier region. Through Partners in Education, Memorial
is proud to play a role in helping students feel supported, encouraged
and connected to the opportunities around them.
Introducing Students to Healthcare Careers
Lake Charles Memorial helps students explore healthcare careers through
hands-on learning experiences inside the health system.
Through Memorial’s Window to Healthcare program, students get a one-day,
behind-the-scenes look at different areas of the hospital, including clinical
and non-clinical departments such as nursing, emergency care, therapy
services, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, human resources, marketing,
IT and more. To learn more about the Window to Health program,
click here.
Memorial also partners with SWLAHEC to support AHEC of a Summer, a multi-week
program that gives high school students firsthand exposure to healthcare
careers through hospital-based learning and department experiences.
Together, these programs help students connect classroom learning to real-world
opportunities and see healthcare as a future they can pursue.
Bringing Health and Safety Education to Students
Memorial also brings health and safety education directly to area schools
through programs such as Sudden Impact.
Presented by Memorial’s Trauma Center team, Sudden Impact helps high
school students understand the real consequences of unsafe driving behaviors
and encourages safer choices behind the wheel and as passengers. The program
supports Memorial’s commitment to injury prevention, education and
helping young people make choices that protect their futures.
A Shared Investment in Southwest Louisiana
Together, Lake Charles Memorial Health System and the Calcasieu Parish
School Board are investing in the people who will shape the future of
Southwest Louisiana.
This partnership reflects a shared commitment to:
Student safety, health and well-being
Meaningful learning experiences
Support for educators and school communities
Career exploration and workforce development
Injury prevention and health education
Access to professional athletic training support
Emergency preparedness in schools
A stronger future for healthcare in Southwest Louisiana
A thriving region where young people can learn, grow and succeed
By supporting students on the field, in the classroom and as they begin
to imagine their futures, Memorial and CPSB are helping build a healthier,
stronger and more connected Southwest Louisiana.
