(PSS) — Fifteen high school students from Saipan, Tinian and Rota are enrolled in a six-week, 160-hour Nursing Assistant Summer Program of the Public School System-Career and Technical Education Program.
“This is my dream career,” one of them said. “This is the best summer [break] for me because I’m learning how to be a nursing assistant.”
In class, another student said, “we are taught the skills we need to give the best care to our patients.”
“I really studied and worked hard to be able to sign up — I’m just so happy to make it to this program,” added another student.
Classes are conducted online and in-person by nursing professionals with the Guam Marianas Training Center.
Students receive live tutoring/instruction from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and they also perform clinical work.
On Thursday, the students met with Board of Education Chairman Andrew L. Orsini, BOE Vice Chairman Herman Atalig, Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada, PSS Senior Director for Curriculum and Instruction Jackie Quitugua and Senior Director for Accountability, Research and Evaluation Dr. Rizalina P. Liwag.
CTE Program Director Dr. Jessica B. Taylor also gave the education officials a tour of Guam Marianas Training Center’s Saipan facility in Chalan Laulau.
When the program ends on Aug. 3, the students will receive their nursing assistant certification.
Students participating in the Public School System-Career and Technical Education Nursing Assistant Summer Program show their training room to Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada, Board of Education Chairman Andrew L. Orsini, PSS senior directors Jackie Quitugua and Dr. Rizalina Liwag.
Public School System-Career and Technical Education Program Director Dr. Jessica B. Taylor explains to Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred Ada how synchronous online training works.
Public School System-Career and Technical Education Program Director Dr. Jessica B. Taylor, Board of Education Vice Chairman Herman Atalig and BOE Chairman Andrew L. Orsini speak to students in their classroom where they receive synchronous instruction.
Students attend a synchronous online class in a socially distanced classroom.
The nursing assistant program students wear scrubs when attending their classes.
A nursing assistant program student demonstrates the proper way to care for a patient.
Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred Ada, Board of Education Chairman Andrew Orsini, Vice Chairman Herman Atalig and other education officials pose with some of the nursing assistant summer program students at their training facility.
Each classroom has glass-paneled individual cubicles and complies with other Covid-19 safety rules.
