LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A program bringing hands-on health care education to elementary students is expanding to include hundreds of students in Bardstown.

The Future Healers Kiddos Medical Program is expanding to include its first rural school system in Bardstown. More than 300 students are expected to participate in the collaboration with Flaget Memorial Hospital and the nonprofit Our Commonwealth.

Christopher 2x and his Game Changers organization aims to promote early childhood education in STEM. The program has partnerships with the University of Louisville School of Medicine, University of Louisville Department of Surgery and Jefferson County Public Schools. Its mission is to introduce students to the medical field.

“With the Bardstown expansion, of course, we will focus on the elementary school ages and going into the city of Bardstown elementary is just something that we would have never, ever have dreamed of,” Christopher 2x said.

In the program, students experience kid-friendly labs and lessons with medical professionals. Each student receives a specially authored ‘Journey to Wellness’ workbook to guide them through the course.

“The medical students at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and they did a fantastic job with our team on this, and that’s why everyone is excited. They can take this journal, and they can look at the pages in here and create curriculum out of it,” 2x said.

Bardstown Elementary Principal Dr. Joshua DeWar said in a statement, ”Bardstown Elementary is proud to collaborate with the inspiring Future Healers program. This opportunity will introduce students to careers in healthcare and equip them with essential life skills, fostering resilience and self-direction.”

By expanding to Bardstown, 2x estimates the total number of students in the program will grow to approximately 800 children across Kentucky and Tennessee.