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Campbell City School District has received over $200,000 to train new medical professionals to help fill job needs around Mahoning County. 

The school district was granted $250,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission to purchase all the equipment needed to help train students by expanding their program with Stark State College in Akron. 

The hands-on training with the equipment will help prepare students for jobs in medical billing, coding, technology, among other sectors. The 175 high school aged students can currently take classes in Campbell to earn college credits through Stark State. With all the courses they can earn up to an associates degree in a variety of fields before they graduate 12th grade.

“It's an amazing opportunity,” Angelina Grilli, a junior taking the college credit classes, said. “I’m looking to go into medicine, into pre-med after high school and I think that these courses give me a huge jumpstart.”

Campbell schools also partners with Southwoods Health and Akron Children's Hospital to see what jobs they're experiencing a shortage of, so that they can train students to fill those gaps. 

Campbell City School District Superintendent Matthew Bowen says the district applied to the Appalachian Regional Commission directly for the grant, to help bring opportunities and workers to the community, without raising taxes or putting an unnecessary strain on residents. 

"We want to improve the community, without burdening the taxpayers. We applied for the grant so we can help provide services and jobs, without increasing taxes," said Bowen. 

The program will operate out of Campbell's Community Literacy Workforce and Cultural Center, and will expand into the city's new facility that is being built adjacent to the cultural center.