“Now, you’re going to feel a little prick,” says sixth-grade English teacher Katherine Dalland as she inserts an IV into a “patient’s” arm. In this case, the patient is a high-tech medical dummy, and Dalland is experiencing medical training first-hand.

The experience was part of a partnership with George Washington University’s Teachers in Industry Project, a summertime training seminar where teachers from Loudoun and Prince William high schools and middle schools can learn about different professions and pass that experience back to their students. Teachers also attended sessions at Loudoun Water, Neustar and Lockheed Martin.

“It’s good to get experience and talk to people in different fields so we can know what skills we need to be pushing at school and so kids know what to expect in the real world,” said Claudia Allen-Williams, a gifted and talented specialist at Seneca Ridge Middle School.

The teachers’ experiences will be incorporated into the classroom through presentations and activities next year.