Page 23 - TTMNFallWinter2025

Health
Teaching Today Minnesota | Fall/Winter 2025 Page 23

CNA Program at Willmar Public Schools Hopkins' Career and Technical Education
Adds Two New Healthcare Courses
The project, supported by a $18,661
LYFT Career Pathways Impact Grant, Hopkins Public Schools
funded instructional supplies and staffing Hopkins CTE courses cover four subject
necessary to relaunch the course. Students areas: Technology Education, Family and
benefited from hands-on training using Consumer Sciences, Healthcare, and Business
industry-standard tools provided through Education.
Ridgewater College, ensuring alignment Through a diversity of topics our scholars
with current healthcare expectations and find classes that align with their interests and
post-secondary pathways. passions and may help identify a future career
Interest in the program grew through path. These courses offer Hopkins scholars
Willmar’s new HOSA chapter (Future Health hands-on learning experiences, allowing them
Professionals) and the school’s health sciences to apply what they've learned in a practical
course offerings, which drew students aspiring setting.
to careers in nursing, therapy, or other medical
The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) fields. The course not only prepared students New for 2025–26!
Program at Willmar Senior High School for immediate employment but also served as Medical Terminology Course — This is a
expanded access to healthcare education and a steppingstone toward advanced healthcare course for all students interested in health
workforce preparation for high school students. degrees. professions to become familiar with, and
In partnership with a local college, the school The CNA program continues to strengthen knowledgeable in, the workings of the human
offered an on-site CNA class led by a licensed the bridge between secondary and postsecond- body. This class will be offered as concur-
nurse instructor, allowing students to earn their ary education while meeting local workforce rent enrollment through the local community
CNA certification while still in high school. needs, empowering students to begin mean- college.
The initiative addressed a critical shortage ingful, in-demand healthcare careers and serve and is valuable to anyone interested in direct
of qualified nursing assistants in the Willmar their own community. Certified Nursing Assistant Course Offered patient care. In the 2025–26 school year, this
region by equipping students with the skills, Courtesy of SWWC Service Cooperative as Concurrent Enrollment — The Certified course will be offered as concurrent enroll-
training, and credentials needed to enter health- Nursing Assistant (CNA) program provides ment through the local technical college.
care careers immediately after graduation. classroom and clinical training for individu-
Through the program, students learned essential als interested in pursuing direct patient care
patient care skills, gained clinical experience, in hospitals, nursing homes, or home health
and were prepared to take and pass the state willmar.k12.mn.us care settings. This course is a prerequisite www.hopkinsschools.org
CNA exam. to most LPN or RN programs in Minnesota

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