Students at Oxford High School now have a new way to explore careers in healthcare with the launch of the C.H.A.R.M. Club. C.H.A.R.M. stands for Chargers in Healthcare, Advocacy, Research, and Medicine. This new student-led club gives members the chance to learn about careers like physical therapy, biology, veterinary medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychiatry, neuroscience, and dentistry. Seniors Zuri McCollins and Syna Gandhi started the club after noticing that healthcare-focused opportunities were limited for students at Oxford High.
“Originally, OHS HOSA was open to all students, which made it a great option as a healthcare club,” Gandhi said. “But then new rules came in, and HOSA wasn’t open to everyone anymore. Zuri and I couldn’t join, so we decided to create our own club for students in the same situation.”
The C.H.A.R.M. Club isn’t just about exploring healthcare careers. It also focuses on public health projects and giving back to the community through volunteering. School nurse Ashley Ledbetter, who sponsors the club, is excited about what it offers.
“There are so many career paths in healthcare, and this club will help students figure out which ones interest them the most,” Ledbetter said. “It also gives OHS students a way to connect with the healthcare community in Oxford while making a difference through service projects.”
McCollins, who co-founded the club, emphasized the inclusive nature of C.H.A.R.M. and its mission to support students who may feel unsure about their career paths.
“C.H.A.R.M. is a haven wherein we hope to assist students that struggle with choosing a specific profession, developing good study skills, or breaking out of their personal bubble,” McCollins said. “I wanted to create something where I could see underrepresented students achieving excellence, impacting our community, raising awareness, and conducting outstanding research.”
Ledbetter commended McCollins for her leadership in bringing C.H.A.R.M. to life.
“Zuri is a dedicated and determined student, and I am positive she will be an organized, effective, and enthusiastic leader for this club,” Ledbetter said.
For Gandhi, starting the club was about more than just logistics; it was about creating a legacy of service and inspiration.
“The biggest influence has to be our passion for healthcare,” Gandhi said. “If we didn’t have a genuine love for healthcare, or the motivation to start a new club from the ground up, C.H.A.R.M. wouldn’t have been possible.”
Both founders have ambitious goals for C.H.A.R.M. While being the first club these girls have started and brought to life, they have great plans for the furture.
“We have plans to go out in the community and focus a lot on volunteering,” Gandhi said. “Sometimes students believe they would like to pursue a career, but once they get an actual idea of what said field is like, many change their minds. This gives them an opportunity to get an introduction to their potential future career.” McCollins echoed the sentiment, expressing hope that C.H.A.R.M. will leave a lasting impact at Oxford High.
“With everyone’s efforts, C.H.A.R.M. will build a bridge between Oxford High’s future medical professionals and the community we live in,” McCollins said.
As the C.H.A.R.M. Club takes its first steps, its founders and sponsor are confident it will inspire students and open new doors.
“I couldn’t be more grateful,” McCollins said. “To those that believe they aren’t ‘enough’ to start something new and great, I always regard the famous James Baldwin quote, ‘Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed
until it is faced.’”
