This Friday, October 3, many Bishop Noll students will have the opportunity of taking a field trip to tour Ann and Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. As one of the nation’s leading hospitals in the caring for children’s diseases, the students will meet pediatric specialists such as nurses, therapists, and administrators to talk with them and learn of what they do everyday in their career. Lydia Skurka, Theology teacher, sponsored this field trip to educate Bishop Noll students to the needs of children and the professions of those that work with them.

“I hope that students will see how valuable the pediatric health can be,” Skurka said.

This field trip could not be possible without a group of students who calls themselves Teens for Kids. They held fundraisers for Ann and Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital for two years. Teens for Kids held bake sales during school and been involved with raising money even during the summer. All of these fundraisers were to raise money for the children who currently are in Lurie’s Hospital.  The hospital is grateful for this and has invited the group to visit the hospital. However, only a handful of students can attend this field trip.

“I wish we could take more students,” Skurka said, “but this first time is really for the fundraising group and a small group who have expressed a serious interest in the pediatric health care field.”

Skurka explains that there may be more to come from this hospital. The hospital administrator, who is already working on this trip with Noll to visit the hospital, is also working on to develop a partnership with Bishop Noll. If this does happen, then representatives from the hospital could come to Noll and speak about the careers in the medical field and how it is important to raise money for the children who go to Lurie’s Hospital.

“To get to see [the hospital] is a real opportunity for us,” Skurka said. “If someone in our group develops a passion for working in this health care field, that would be the best thing that could happen!”