What began as a curious fifth-grader’s STEM lesson quickly sparked a career journey for 18-year-old Kymora Poole, a Hoke County High School senior who now works as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital. With plans to attend nursing school next fall, Poole represents the next generation of health care talent emerging from FirstHealth’s teen volunteer and workforce development programs.
Poole’s interest in health care took shape early. As part of her elementary STEM program, she remembers a classroom project dissecting pig ears. “It was kind of weird, but I kind of liked it,” she laughed. By middle school, she became captivated by forensic science and, while researching career opportunities, discovered the unique role of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners—professionals who blend nursing with forensic practice. The idea stuck.
When she entered high school, Poole joined the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club and, on the advice of her advisor, began exploring volunteer opportunities at FirstHealth. That’s when she met Sheryl Brownlee, teen volunteer coordinator at Moore Regional Hospital…