08/22/2026
What does it take to build a community where people can truly thrive?
Olympic College Practical Nursing students explored that question for their final project, "Building Our Community: Creating Communities Where People Can Thrive."
Throughout the quarter, students studied mental health beyond diagnoses, examining ACEs, social determinants of health, stress and coping, substance use, safety, resilience, belonging, and access to resources.
Then they put that learning into action by designing their own communities from the ground up. Students made intentional decisions about housing, healthcare and mental health services, food access, transportation, recreation, green space, safety, and opportunities for connection.
One group even visited the BAART program in Bremerton, which provides outpatient medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder, including fentanyl, he**in, and prescription pain medications, to learn more about real-world resources for substance dependence and incorporated what they learned into their community design.
The project challenged students to think beyond treating illness and ask an important question: "If we understand what contributes to poor mental and physical health, what could we build differently to help people thrive?"
We’re proud of the thoughtful, creative work our LPN students put into answering that question. ❤️
