With the renewal of the Carl Perkins Tech Prep Grant for another two years, Anne Marie Hardy, director of career services at Surry Community College, wanted to do something different.

In the past the programs offered as part of the Educator’s Experience, known as E2, were open only to teachers. With the newly extended grant, Hardy looked to include students as well as teachers in the experiences. She planned a program in February, March and April and hopes to continue having a program each month in the fall. Each one focuses on a different field to spark as much interest as possible in what is available in the area.

Three students, one teacher and an additional adult chaperone were invited to participate from high schools in Surry and Yadkin counties. This spring, students will get to explore the health occupations, engineering programs and business and computer sciences, including simulation and game development.

“I hope the students will gain more understanding of the variety in health care and what Surry has to offer,” said Hardy of the programs. “They can get a glimpse of something out in our community.”

Students from East Surry, Elkin, Forbush, Mount Airy, North Surry, Starmount, Surry Central and Surry Early College high schools attended the first event on Tuesday where they explored the health care fields offered at Surry Community College and took a trip to the Surry County Health Department. The students are all enrolled in tech prep courses, the only requirement laid out in the application process.

They began the morning by speaking to Craig Smythers, the allied health counselor for the college who also oversees admissions. He spoke about the prerequisites required to enter the nursing and physical therapy assistant programs. He also encouraged them to take classes such as chemistry, biology and physics in high school in order to be ready for college classes.

“You’re very intelligent in the fact you’re going into a health care career,” he said.

Ellen Wyrick, nurse educator, spoke to the students about having a career as a nurse and the amount of work it takes to be successful. She also spoke about the many different fields nurses can go into, from geriatrics to pediatrics.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was worth it,” she said. “I went on a tour through the neo-natal intensive care unit and I knew that’s where I wanted to share my love and my heart. You’ll find your love.”

Heather Taylor, academic clinical coordinator of education for the physical therapist assistant program, spoke about the program which was just added to the college’s curriculum in the fall 2008. The students were able to walk through one of the classes for that program and talk with the students. Many of the college students spoke about the differences between high school classes and college classes and the fact that in college, students are responsible for keeping up with the work themselves.

“I think the students talking to those at the college about what to expect in the transition was great,” said Toni Ledford, health occupations teacher at North Surry High School. “The PTA program was very informative for my students as well as for me.”

One of the highlights of the morning session for students and teachers was a demonstration from the mannequins in the nursing department. With mannequins that speak, breathe and blink, patient care has become even more of a real life learning experience in the classroom. The school was recently able to purchase two new 3G mannequins which do many life like activities. They also have body cavities which can be filled and have the ability to receive medication in the form of an IV and react to that medication appropriately and even have seizures.

“I loved the mannequin. It was very creative,” said Kayla Macemore from Starmount High School.

“I liked the simulation and how the let people jump in and help,” said Janet Hernandez, from Starmount High School.

“I enjoyed the hands-on experience I had,” added Bethany Francis, from Starmount High School, who was pulled from the crowd to perform CPR on the mannequin.

“The simulation lab was wonderful for my students to get a real life view of what its like,” said Stacey Culler, health occupations teacher at East Surry High School.

As a whole, the students and their teachers enjoyed the experience and were able to have a better idea of what it would be like to work in the health-care field.

“It was interesting. I learned more of what I want to do,” said Jessica Bare, a students at Surry Early College, who wants to do lab work, specifically working with blood testing.

The next event will take place in March and will involve engineering technologies.

Contact Morgan Wall at mwall@mtairynews.com or 719-1929.