Why Nebraska Is Investing in Boys and the HEAL Economy

by Dr. Joe DiCostanzo, Vice President, Education
Nebraska Children and Families Foundation

Something important is happening in Nebraska. At first, it was easy to miss. Then it started appearing in various places—different communities, different conversations, and different data sets. Now it’s clear this isn’t a coincidence. It’s a signal.

Once is happenstance.
Twice is coincidence.
The third time is intentional.

That’s where Nebraska finds itself today, standing at the intersection of workforce demand in critical areas, the need for innovative student engagement strategies, and planning for the future of our communities. And it’s why Beyond School Bells, Nebraska’s Statewide Afterschool Network, alongside five innovative partner organizations, is investing in a new idea: Boys in HEAL—programs that introduce boys to careers in Healthcare, Education, And Literacy.

For years, our conversations about career readiness have focused heavily on STEM. Those investments mattered, and they worked. But quietly, another part of the economy has been growing just as fast—sometimes faster—without the same attention or intentionality.

Jobs in healthcare, education, human services, and related fields now account for roughly one in seven jobs in the United States, with more than 1.6 million additional positions projected in the next decade¹. Many of these roles are essential to the well-being of Nebraska communities: nurses, educators, counselors, medical assistants, health administrators, and literacy professionals. And nearly 40 percent of these jobs do not require a four-year degree^¹.

Yet boys remain strikingly underrepresented in these careers. Nationally, only about one in four HEAL workers is male, and that number has been declining for decades—even as women’s participation in STEM has risen dramatically^¹. The result is a mismatch that affects everyone: boys who struggle to see themselves in meaningful, people-centered work, and communities facing persistent workforce shortages in exactly those fields.

Here’s the moment that changed the conversation for many of us. It wasn’t a complicated statistic or a dense policy report. It was the realization that we’d been asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking, “Why aren’t boys choosing these careers?” we started asking, “When did we stop showing boys that careers rooted in care, teaching, and service are some of the most powerful ways to find their purpose, build stable communities, and lead?”

“When did we stop showing boys that careers rooted in care, teaching, and service are some of the most powerful ways to find their purpose, build stable communities, and lead?”

That question reframes everything.

“This work is fundamentally about reframing how we speak to and think about young men as they explore their futures,” says Christopher McCroy, Executive Director of 100 Black Men of Omaha, Inc. “Too often, subtle messages from society imply that certain professions are ‘less masculine,’ creating unnecessary barriers that discourage boys from pursuing fields where they could excel and make meaningful contributions.”

Most boys don’t encounter healthcare, education, or literacy as career pathways. They encounter them as places where other people—often women—work. They rarely meet men who model strength through caregiving, leadership through teaching, or purpose through service. Without exposure, curiosity never has a chance to form.

That’s where Beyond School Bells comes in.

For years, Beyond School Bells, has focused on high-quality out-of-school-time learning—afterschool programs, summer experiences, and community-based partnerships that expand what young people believe is possible for themselves. The approach is simple but powerful: hands-on learning, trusted adults, real-world exposure, and room to explore purpose without the pressure of grades or transcripts.

Boys in HEAL builds on that foundation. It applies what we know works—experiential learning, mentorship, community partnerships—to a new challenge.

“Rather than reading or hearing about HEAL careers, young men will observe and explore them in safe, interactive environments,” explains Mary Ann McDonald, Grant Strategy & Project Manager at United Way of the Midlands. Through job shadowing, simulations, and out-of-school employer engagements, she notes, “young men will gain confidence and knowledge of HEAL careers that many schools and parents cannot provide on their own.”

This work is happening at a critical moment.

“Boys and young men are navigating a rapidly changing world where traditional career paths are evolving,” McCroy adds. “Early exposure can shape the trajectory of a young man’s life—by helping him build confidence, curiosity, and a clearer understanding of what’s possible.”

Across the Boys in HEAL pilot, that exposure is intentionally designed to be personal, relational, and grounded in real places. At Mary Lanning Healthcare, that philosophy is front and center.

“We want young men to find their purpose in the raw, real spaces where healing, heartbreak, and humanity intersect,” says Areial McNeil, Career Pathway Coordinator at Mary Lanning Healthcare. “By creating intentional opportunities for exposure, connection, and mentorship, we help them see themselves as valued members of healthcare and their community.”

Just as importantly, Beyond School Bells didn’t design one single model and ask everyone to replicate it. Instead, it invested in five different partner organizations, each bringing their own context, strengths, and communities into the work. Urban and rural. School-based and community-based. Healthcare-adjacent and education-centered.

At NE STEM 4U, the focus is on strengthening students’ sense of direction and purpose.

“We would consider the pilot a success if boys and young men begin to develop HEAL identities,” says Dr. Claudia Rauter, Program Director at NE STEM 4U, “with the effect that their interest in HEAL-related careers grows.”

This is where the data matters—but not in the way people often expect.

Yes, Boys in HEAL programs track participation, engagement, and alignment with statewide education and workforce indicators. But the evaluation also centers stories: student reflections, family voice, and program leader insights. This insight will help Beyond School Bells share what works, and what doesn’t, as the effort grows beyond the pilots. Because some of the most important outcomes—belief, purpose, confidence—don’t always show up neatly in a spreadsheet.

And yet, the ambition is real.

“One year from now,” McCroy says, “we would hope to see a measurable increase in interest and access to HEAL career pathways—along with stronger mentorship connections that last beyond the pilot itself.”

At United Way of the Midlands, the scale is statewide. McDonald points to a goal of engaging 800 young men through classroom visits, simulations, and job shadowing—while also growing employer partnerships that last well beyond the grant period.

At Mary Lanning Healthcare, success looks like momentum. “When young men continue engaging in mentorship, encourage their peers, and confidently envision themselves in healthcare professions,” McNeil says, “that’s when we know the impact is real.”

In this story, Nebraska is the hero—a state navigating workforce shortages, demographic change, and evolving expectations for education.

Beyond School Bells is the guide—not claiming to have all the answers, but offering a map forward. A way to test ideas, learn quickly, and invest early in what could become a larger movement.

Boys in HEAL is not about steering boys away from other paths. It’s about expanding the range of futures they’re allowed to imagine. It’s about making visible the careers that hold communities together—and inviting boys to see themselves there.

Once is happenstance.
Twice is coincidence.
The third time is intentional.

With Boys in HEAL, Nebraska is choosing to act—thoughtfully, collaboratively, and with an eye toward the future. And that choice may shape not only the workforce we need, but the communities we become.

1. Smith, B., Hawrami, R., & Reeves, R. V. (2025, March 28). The HEAL economy. American Institute for Boys and Men. https://aibm.org/research/the-heal-economy/

Learn more and support Nebraska Children and Families Foundations’ work at NebraskaChildren.org.