Benevolent TAHS grad will soon be helping those in need as part of a medcial mission trip to the Dominican
HELPING OTHERS.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE. PERSONAL GROWTH.
Hailey Gernentz’s upcoming trip checks all the boxes, and she is ready for the experience of a lifetime — one that will serve as a major stepping stone in what is sure to be a successful and rewarding career.
Gernentz, a 2024 Tracy Area High School graduate, is gearing up for a trip to the city of Barahona, which is located in the Dominican Republican’s southwestern region as part of Children of the Nations, which provides Christ-centered care for orphaned and destitute children. Her one-week experience will take place March 14-21, 2026, over her spring break at South Dakota State University.
Gernentz will be traveling with a friend and ophthalmologist Dr. Curtis Louwagie of Marshall. She sold goodies made by her grandmother and her grandfather’s crafty woodwork at last weekend’s Vendor & Craft Show in Balaton to raise some money for her journey.
“We’ll go there to perform surgeries on people who are less fortunate — there will be a general surgeon, and ophthalmologist,” said Gernentz.
TRACY AREA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE HAILEY GERNENTZ will spend a week in the Dominican Republic in March as part of a Christ-centered care program that provides medical care to those who otherwise wouldn’t be treated. Photo / Per Peterson
“My role will be things like prepping the patient, getting them ready for their surgery, and aftercare.”
Gernentz is working toward a degree in human biology and pre-medicine. She plans to go to med school after that.
“I’m going to apply this upcoming season,” she said. “Usually, it takes about three cycles to get in — hopefully I get in the first try. And that will be four more years.”
Even though Hailey’s mother made a bit of attempt to persuade her to get her experience closer to home, this experience is just too big for the young woman to pass up.
“I’m so excited,” said Gernentz. “We get to do a lot of things. It’s all Christ-centered, and that’s very important to me. We just get to help people; the medical aspect, they don’t have access to what we do at all.”
Gernentz said she has always known she wanted to do something to help others, and given her passion for medicine, a trip like this checks off all her boxes.
“”I always knew I really wanted to be in the medical field, and I just enjoy helping people,” she said. “That’s also why I’m an EMT in Balaton — I enjoy helping our community. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor.”
Gernentz, who is also a member of the Air National Guard, completed an internship at Avera Tyler this past summer, where she job-shadowed professionals.
“That really helped me narrow down what I wanted to do,” she said.
