In a pioneering effort for community well-being, Webster County High School’s Highlander Health Sciences program secured an EPIC grant last year for its innovative project, Operation Breathe Better, created to address pressing health issues in a county historically marked by coal mining and lumbering. Highlander Health Sciences Program Instructor Beth Roberts recognized the lack of access to specialized care in the county and developed the initiative with her students, securing the EPIC grant to fund essential equipment and bridge healthcare gaps through education. This initiative was crafted to combat the high prevalence of chronic illnesses in Webster County.