• ST. LOUIS• The St. Louis Public School District’s Office of Career and Technical Education has been awarded a grant of more than $182,000 to train students in health care careers.

    The grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health seeks to increase gender and ethnic diversity in health trades in the St. Louis region.

    The District already offers health services programs for student in patient care, rehabilitation therapy, respiratory therapy, and emergency medical technician certification.

    The grant will allow those programs -- which are often fully booked -- to expand enrollment.

    According to a school district news release, 493 students enrolled in the District’s health services programs in 2011. Nearly 80 percent of those students were female.  Enrollment is expected to climb to 575 students next year.