ECHO Tour℠ — Exploring Careers & Healthcare Opportunities
273 students • 19 schools • 90% want to pursue healthcare • 27 organizations (March 2025)
Hands-on healthcare career exploration for high school students in Snohomish County—expanding across Washington State.
ECHO Tour℠ is a high-impact, hands-on career exploration event that connects students with real healthcare professionals, tools, and pathways—right here in our community. Through interactive, multidisciplinary stations, students discover clinical and non‑clinical roles, learn about training and education options, and see how they can build rewarding, purpose-driven careers in healthcare. First piloted in March 2024 with federal funds awarded to Snohomish STEM, ECHO Tour addresses an urgent local need: a strong, diverse pipeline for Snohomish County’s healthcare workforce. We’re partnering with education, industry, and community leaders to grow the program locally—and to collaborate with other STEM Networks to bring ECHO Tour to more regions across Washington State.
Get Involved • Sponsor ECHO Tour • Volunteer to Present • School Registration Info • Partner With Us
What students experience during ECHO Tour
Event format: Typically 7-8 stations per day, 20 minutes each with a 5-minute passing period. Each station sees 15-20 students per session.
Quick 20-minute rotations with healthcare professionals and educators featuring:
- Hands-on demos (e.g., vitals, simulation equipment, lab skills)
- Career conversations across clinical, tech, administrative, and allied health roles
- Education & training guidance from colleges, training providers, and employers
Every student rotates through every station—no one misses out.
Outcome: In March 2025, 90% of students reported leaving ECHO Tour wanting to pursue a healthcare career.
💡 “I now know what I want to do for my career.”
That’s the kind of impact we aim for—and this year’s Snohomish County ECHO Tour℠ delivered. In March 2025, we welcomed 273 students from 19 schools across Snohomish County to explore careers in healthcare through hands-on activities, real-world conversations, and one-on-one connections with local professionals.
ECHO Tour student feedback says it all:
🩺 “Getting to hear the baby’s heartbeat with a stethoscope.”
📚 “Learning about the apprenticeship with Edmonds LPN.”
💬 “I got a lot of information about how to go forward in my career.”
💡 “I now know what I want to do for my career.”
❤️ “Just loved it!”-March 2025 Snohomish County ECHO Tour students
Why healthcare careers? Why Snohomish County?
- Healthcare is one of the region’s most critical, high-demand sectors—students can access local education pathways and family‑wage jobs without relocating.
- ECHO Tour links classroom learning to real roles in hospitals, clinics, labs, tech, public health, behavioral health, and more—so students can see themselves in the workforce that serves their community.
Program history
- Cumulative to date (2024–2025): 820 students engaged across high school and middle school ECHO Tour events in Snohomish County.
- High School Pilot — March 2024, Everett Community College: Three-day pilot, 422 students.
- Middle School Pilot — October 2024, Edmonds College: One-day pilot, 125 students.
- 2025 High School — March, Everett Community College: Three-day program, 273 students from 19 schools; 27 organizations; 40 presenters; 90% of students left wanting to pursue a healthcare career. “Getting to hear the baby’s heartbeat with a stethoscope.” Read the March 2025 recap.
Impact & reach: March 2025
- Students served: 273 across 19 schools
- Community partners: 27 organizations participated
- Industry engagement: 40 presenters
- Student outcomes: 90% left wanting to pursue a healthcare career
Read the March 2025 recap.
2025-2026 School Year
For the 2025-2026 school year, the ECHO Tour is scaling to reach more students. To support this growth, ECHO Tour will run a one-day program at Edmonds College in December 2025, followed by a two-day program at Everett Community College in March 2026. Each day is expected to reach around 120 students, and each school district will attend one day.
- Read more about ECHO Tour℠ at Edmonds College: December 2025 Impact Summary here
- 🔗Lynnwood Times article (12/17/2025): “VIPs tour Snohomish County STEM’s ECHO Tour at Edmonds College”
Ways to get involved
For schools
Register your student group for the next ECHO Tour. Each day serves multiple rotating groups; every student visits every station. Lunch is provided for student groups and chaperones. Space is limited. Snohomish STEM will contact your school to extend the invitation.
For healthcare employers & training providers
Host a short, hands‑on career exploration station, send employees to share about their career pathways, or support as a sponsor. We provide station setup, a simple activity template, and volunteer orientation.
Lunch is provided for presenters.
Not a healthcare organization? Investing in ECHO Tour grows an inclusive, better-prepared local talent base—strengthening Snohomish County’s competitiveness across all sectors.
For community supporters & sponsors
Choose a sponsorship level or make a gift of any amount to expand student access:
Presenting Sponsor $10,000 • Partner Sponsor $5,000 • Community Sponsor $2,500 • School Sponsor $1,000
Select tiers include the option to host an outreach/resource table during student arrival and lunch (limited availability). Recognition and on-site activations may vary by venue and timing. In-kind support is welcome and may be recognized at the nearest equivalent level.
Sponsors from all industries are welcome—healthcare and non-healthcare employers, industry associations, education/training partners, chambers, foundations, and community organizations.
For STEM Networks & partners (statewide)
Snohomish STEM is actively exploring statewide collaboration to scale ECHO Tour with other STEM Networks and strategic partners. We’ll share program design, playbooks, evaluation tools, and presenter recruitment strategies to help you adapt ECHO Tour to your local healthcare ecosystem across Washington State.
Interested in partnering? Contact us to discuss a pilot in your region this school year.
Sponsors & partners
Since launch, ECHO Tour℠ has engaged 820 students in Snohomish County. The success of ECHO Tour is made possible by community sponsors, grants, and dedicated volunteers.
Thank you to our March 2025 presenting, station, and in‑kind sponsors and partners, including Economic Alliance Snohomish County, Everett Community College, and Providence-Swedish North Puget Sound.
Frequently asked questions
What grades do you serve? High school is the primary audience. Select middle school pilots may be offered in partnership with local colleges and districts.
How big is an ECHO Tour event? To accommodate multiple districts, ECHO Tour typically runs over 2-3 days in Snohomish County. Each day serves about 120 students in rotating groups. Each school district attends one day. (Total attendance varies by schedule; the 2025 event served 273 students across three days.)
How do rotations work? Students move in small groups through all stations on a set schedule, so every student visits every station.
Is lunch provided? Yes. Lunch is provided for student groups, chaperones, and presenters. (Availability may vary by venue and sponsor support.)
What roles are represented? Clinical care (nursing, medical assistant, dermatology, dental, pharmacy, imaging, laboratory, physical therapy, critical care); natural & holistic medicine; specialty care (nephrology & kidney dialysis); behavioral health & memory care; public health; administration; and health IT/tech—plus related training and education pathways.
Can other regions run ECHO Tour? Yes. Snohomish STEM welcomes collaboration with STEM Networks and strategic partners across Washington State to adapt and host ECHO Tour in your region.
How is the program funded? ECHO Tour was piloted in March 2024 with federal grant funds awarded to Snohomish STEM. Ongoing programs are supported by sponsors, partners, grants, and community contributions.
Ready to collaborate or host ECHO Tour in your region? Contact us to start a conversation.
GET INVOLVED
Sponsor the Event
Support the next generation of healthcare professionals. ECHO Tour℠ connects students with real roles, tools, and training pathways—building a stronger local workforce. Your sponsorship powers hands-on stations, student supplies, presenter logistics, and evaluation (post-event Impact Report).
Not a healthcare company? Investing in ECHO Tour grows an inclusive, better-prepared local talent base—strengthening Snohomish County’s competitiveness across all sectors.
Why sponsor ECHO Tour℠?
- Visible community impact: more students discover healthcare careers through hands-on, career-connected learning.
- Countywide competitiveness: a strong healthcare workforce keeps employees healthy, reduces absenteeism, and supports productivity—benefiting manufacturing, aerospace, tech, logistics, retail, finance, and the public sector alike.
- Inclusive, local talent: engages students from across the county—including first-gen and underrepresented youth—to build a more inclusive, local workforce.
- Community investment (CSR/ESG): visible, measurable impact aligned with education, workforce, and economic development goals.
- Talent pipeline: invest in future interns, apprentices, and employees.
Why non-healthcare sponsors invest?
A reliable, well-staffed healthcare system underpins every employer’s success—keeping teams working, families stable, and our local economy strong. Sponsoring ECHO Tour helps students discover healthcare careers today so all sectors can thrive tomorrow.
Sponsorship options
Sponsors from all industries are welcome—healthcare and non-healthcare employers, industry associations, education/training partners, chambers, foundations, and community organizations.
Sample levels & typical recognition. Benefits may be tailored by event and venue and timing; final details are confirmed in your sponsor email agreement.
Presenting Sponsor — $10,000
“Presented by” recognition on signage, handouts, and webpage; priority placement in social media; recognition in Snohomish STEM & EASC newsletters; verbal recognition during the student welcome; logo on signage/handouts/webpage; invitation to attend and observe (VIP Tour); ability to display promotional materials; option to host an outreach/ resource table (limited availabilitiy); Post-event Impact Report; name listed.
Includes a priority renewal window for next year.
Partner Sponsor — $5,000
Verbal recognition during the student welcome; logo on signage/handouts/webpage; invitation to attend and observe (VIP Tour); ability to display promotional materials; option to host an outreach/resource table (limited availability); social media recognition; Post-event Impact Report; name listed.
Community Sponsor — $2,500
Ability to display promotional materials; option to host an outreach/resource table (limited availability); social media recognition; Post-event Impact Report; name listed.
School Sponsor — $1,000
Name listed on handouts and webpage; Post-event Impact Report.
In-kind support is welcome and may be recognized at the nearest equivalent level.
Sponsorships represent support for Snohomish STEM’s educational programming. Any sponsor recognition provided is incidental acknowledgment and does not constitute advertising services or the sale of goods.
Impact snapshot (March 2025): 273 students • 19 schools • 27 organizations • 40 presenters • 90% of students left wanting to pursue a healthcare career.
Cumulative to date (2024-2025): 820 students engaged
Volunteer to Present (Healthcare Employers, Colleges, Training Providers)
Bring a demo, tool, or team and host a short, 20-minute interactive station.
What you’ll do
- Format at a glance: 7-8 sessions/day, 20 minutes each + 5-minute passing; 15-20 students per rotation. (Format may vary slightly by venue)
- Lead multiple 20-minute sessions with hands-on activity (think, “show & tell” with audience participation) and conversation with rotating student groups.
- Share about your career pathways (certificates, apprenticeships, degrees) and entry-level roles.
What we provide
- Station setup and logistics support, volunteer orientation, and event materials.
- A simple activity template if you need help designing an engaging station.
- Lunch provided for presenters.
Typical commitment: one event day (about 4-5 hours on site).
March 2026 Interest Form: bit.ly/ECHOtour
Schools & Teachers
Format at a glance: 7-8 sessions/day, 20 minutes each + 5-minute passing; 15-20 students per station. (Format may vary slightly by venue)
Register your student group for the next ECHO Tour in Snohomish County. Each day serves about 120 students in rotating groups, and each district attends one day. Space is limited. Snohomish STEM will contact your school to extend the invitation at least 3 months before the event.
Lunch is provided for student groups and chaperones.
STEM Networks & Strategic Partners (Statewide)
Interested in bringing ECHO Tour to your region? Snohomish STEM is collaborating with STEM Networks and strategic partners to scale the model. We’ll share program design, station playbooks, and evaluation tools to help you launch locally.
Recognition
March 2025 Signature Sponsors: Economic Alliance Snohomish County; Everett Community College; Providence-Swedish North Puget Sound
Additional In-kind Sponsors and Partners: Compass Health; Edmonds College; IRG Physical & Hand Therapy; Mukilteo Memory Care; Northwest Ambulance; NWESD 189; Optum; Puget Sound Kidney Center; The Reptile Lady; Skagit Valley Regional Health; University of Washington Bothell.