Greg Borders is a business education teacher at Tech High School, but he is also a certified emergency medical technician (EMT). Border’s first responder class in the Discovery Academy is about saving lives.
The Discovery Academy is just one of the post-secondary enrollment options (PSEO) available in District 742. PSEO allows 10th, 11th and 12th grade students the opportunity to earn college credit for courses completed while still in high school. This course is available at Apollo High School during the fall semester and at Tech High School during the spring semester.
In addition to earning college level credit, the students in Border’s class will earn their EMT level one certification after passing the class.
“This is the class you want to freak out if you fail,” says Borders. “You should care enough about saving someone’s life.”
There are five steps that each student must complete during the adult and infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) testing:
1. Scene Safety: survey the area to ensure there is no danger to the rescuer.
2. Check for responsiveness and breathing: Ask the person if they are OK.
3. Call 911: have someone call 911 (unless by yourself).
4. Check for a pulse.
5. Begin CPR.
Students are split up into pairs or trios to practice the CPR training on the adult and infant “Annies” (training mannequins.)
Amina Mohamud, a Tech junior, shares, “I’m trying to be a nurse and I wanted to see how this works. . . It’s a great class to sign up for. It’s my first time taking a college class, so I was nervous. I thought I’d have to test every day. It’s a little easier than I thought.”
When students feel they are ready to test, they move to the hallway where Borders waits with his clipboard.
The pairs start the CPR five steps, and with the assistance of their automated external defibrillators (AED), begin the chest compressions, attach the defibrillators and use the breathing masks.
The testing is timed and assessed by Borders. St. Cloud Technical Community College will do the test-out for the students to give them their certification.
Tyler Doering and Ali Abdirahman have already passed the adult CPR test.
Doering states, “I was nervous. I get nervous about everything.”
Doering is taking the course because he wants to go into law enforcement.
“It’s required later on, so I thought I’d get it done now,” says Doering.
Hanad Gaal, a sophmore, awaits his turn to test on the infant Annie, “I just walk around holding this baby. It just feels natural because I’m the oldest in my family. I want to be an ER physician.”
Sophomore Emily Musielewicz can relate. Musielewicz wants to be a pediatric physician.
“I thought this [class] would be helpful. My mom also owns a daycare. It’s helpful to have this knowledge,” says Musielewicz.
Musielewicz’s older sister is currently in nursing school. Musielewicz is able to share a lot of real-life scenarios her sister is presented with in class. It gives the students the chance to discuss and walk through real-life medical events.
The Discovery Academy and PSEO provides students a free, hands-on experience to get a jump-start on a career path of their choice. These students are taking advantage of their post-secondary opportunities while also learning how to save lives.
Watch the video.