The CNA program gives high school students who are wanting to go into the medical field a good foundation to build from. They plan to do great things in their futures in the medical field.

Senior Kaden Downing is in the CNA program and is planning to further his career in the medical field.

“In the future I am planning on becoming a surgeon and this class is helping me by teaching about basic care for a patient and what to do in many situations,” Downing said.

“Although I am planning on going past a nursing career, this class is still helping me by making connections with people and teaching me to respect the people underneath me because they work just as hard if not harder than doctors do,” Downing said. “The program is benefiting me by giving me more of a hands on learning experience and allowing me to take a look at what a nurse goes through everyday.”

Mackenna Watkins is also a senior in the CNA program. The program is helping her get where she wants to be in the future.

“The CNA program is benefitting me by teaching me the proper way to treat any patient I come in contact within my future career. The program allows me to become certified as a nursing assistant, where I will be able to work in nursing homes or in hospitals during college. The course also taught me the importance of proper care of a resident (the elderly in the facility) because a single mistake, such as a wrinkle in a bedsheet, could harm them in the future,” Mackenna said.

She also plans to go further in her medical career and this program  allows her to have a hands on experience before she starts her career.

“I am planning on attending Texas Tech and study through their honors college and also go to their medical school. I aspire to become a pediatric hematologist-oncologist in the future.  This class is necessary for me to have a well-paying job or to volunteer as a CNA  in college and also allow me to be involved in the medical field to get a better understanding of how things work.”

Another senior in the CNA program is Sydney Chowdhury. She plans to move forward in her medical career.

“I would like to become an otolaryngologist (ENT) with a subspecialty in facial plastics and reconstructive surgery. The class will give me the opportunity to gain access to necessary hospital shadowing time and the tact required to properly interact with patients,” she said.

Sydney is also getting the training and learning the basics, she will later apply to her future.

“The program is giving me real world experience and an opportunity to do additional schooling without the restraints of cost or time. The program helps with a lot of basic training and people skills that will eventually be applicable to my future career,” Sydney said.

Also in the CNA program is senior Anushka Pradhan. The program is teaching her skills she will use later in her future.   

“This program benefits me by allowing me to receive my CNA certification before graduating high school so I can work while I am in college. This program also allows me to gain real experience of working in the healthcare field as I would one day like to work within that field. I am planning to be a Pediatric Hematologist in the future, therefore, this program provides me with the skills I may need to utilize in my future career,” Anushka said. “This program has helped me by teaching me how to take care of the elderly as well as those who are disabled and need daily assistance.”

This program is helping all of these students to build a foundation for their futures.