SPOTLIGHT: Dakota Richardson – Marketing Youth Apprentice at NEWAHEC
At Northeastern Wisconsin Area Health Education Center (NEWAHEC), we’re proud to partner with CESA 6’s Youth Apprenticeship (YA) Program, offering high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to explore career paths while earning credit and wages. Dakota Richardson, a junior at Lincoln High School with dreams of becoming a dental hygienist, made the strategic choice to join our team as a marketing apprentice. While her ultimate career goal is in dental hygiene, Richardson recognized the valuable opportunity our position offered—particularly because of our connection to Wisconsin AHEC’s Future Oral Health Workforce Day Workshops.
The Apprentice Who Sees the Big Picture
Richardson brings enthusiasm and adaptability to her role at NEWAHEC. “My role as a marketing apprentice involves a wide variety of tasks that change on a daily basis,” she explains. “Each day offers something new, and I’m constantly learning and contributing in different ways.”
This dynamic environment is by design—marketing in the healthcare sector requires flexibility and responsiveness to evolving community needs. One day, she might be designing social media graphics for “Tobacco Truth Thursdays,” educating our followers about the dangers of tobacco use. The next, she could be assembling media kits that help our stakeholders understand our mission: creating a healthier Wisconsin by reducing substance use, fostering a diverse healthcare workforce, and strengthening underserved communities through education and collaboration.
Small Connections, Big Impact
What makes Richardson’s apprenticeship particularly meaningful is how it bridges her present work with her future aspirations. While creating social media graphics for our substance use prevention programs and distributing medication lock boxes at community events might seem distant from dental hygiene, these experiences are teaching her something vital that we value at NEWAHEC: healthcare is fundamentally about connection.
At our Virtual Reality Health Care Simulation event at Lakeshore College last fall, Richardson didn’t just take photos—she demonstrated leadership and tech problem-solving skills that impressed us. At Healthiest Manitowoc County Substance Use Prevention Coalition events, she doesn’t just assist with setup—she engages with community members, seeing firsthand how resources reach those who need them most.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the positive reactions from people when they realize we have these resources available for them,” Richardson reflects. “The opportunity to help provide these items is one of the highlights of my role at NEWAHEC.”
Growing Through Doing
As Richardson’s Youth Apprenticeship workplace partners, we’ve noticed growth in both her technical skills and confidence. What started with basic tasks has evolved into designing social media graphics, crafting captions, and even conducting interviews with healthcare professionals.
“I’ve watched her confidence and home row skills grow,” notes Char Barwin, Richardson’s supervisor. “She’s a great photographer, budding interviewer, and writer.”
This growth isn’t accidental. The Youth Apprenticeship program through CESA 6 intentionally combines related instruction with on-the-job training. Students like Richardson complete 450 hours of training under our experienced mentors, averaging 10-20 hours per week while earning both high school credit and wages.
Connecting Present to Future
Perhaps most exciting for Richardson—and for us—is how this apprenticeship is creating concrete pathways to her dental hygiene aspirations. Richardson is one of the high school students registered to participate in our Future Oral Health Workforce Day happening next month. She has also received our assistance in arranging shadowing opportunities with local oral health clinics.
“As someone aspiring to become a dental hygienist, these events provide valuable insights into the oral health field,” Richardson says. “I am especially excited about the upcoming event on April 15th, which will offer more opportunities to learn from professionals and gain knowledge that will help me in my career journey.”
The Better Together Blog Series
Richardson’s passion for dental hygiene is now fueling one of our newest initiatives. In the coming weeks, we invite you to follow our “Better Together” blog series, featuring Richardson’s interviews and shadowing experiences with three different oral health care providers in our region.
These posts will offer insights into various dental professions while building excitement for our Future Oral Health Workforce Day happening on Tuesday, April 15, from noon to 4 PM at Lakeshore Community Health Care’s Sheboygan Clinic (1721 Saemann Ave, Sheboygan).
For Richardson, these healthcare interviews represent more than just content creation—they’re steppingstones on her journey to becoming a dental hygienist. For us at NEWAHEC, they embody our vision of creating communities where health, connection, and support thrive.
Stay tuned for Richardson’s first interview in our “Better Together” series, coming next week!
Future Oral Health Workforce Day is a FREE one-day workshop for high school students interested in dental health professions. The event includes hands-on activities, information on prerequisites for dental training programs, admissions preparation, and opportunities for furthering interest in dental careers. Visit Wisconsin AHEC for more information.