(La Porte, IN) - More than 20 students in La Porte Community School Corporation's Health Careers program have earned their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) licenses, a milestone that prepares them for immediate employment in health care and gives them hands-on experience in patient care while they are still in high school.

 

To earn the credential, students completed classroom instruction, supervised clinical training and a state competency exam.

 

According to school officials, the CNA license allows them to work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other care settings, and it provides a strong foundation for students who plan to continue into nursing or other health professions.

 

The achievement also reflects the program's college-level rigor. A number of these students earned enough credit to be eligible to walk in Ivy Tech Community College's graduation ceremony, a recognition of the postsecondary coursework they completed while still in high school.

 

According to school officials, the majority of next year's seniors in the program have already secured employment at Brickyard Healthcare, where they will begin working this summer and continue through the school year.

 

The arrangement gives students paid, real-world experience in their field while helping meet a community need for trained care professionals.

 

"Watching these students earn a real, professional credential and step into roles where they are caring for people in our community is what this program is all about," said Tabitha Hughes, Health Careers teacher.

 

The Health Careers program is part of La Porte Community School Corporation's commitment to career and technical education, connecting students to meaningful, in-demand careers in La Porte.