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By EMILY SPARACINO | Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – Nearly 20 local high school students are well on their way to landing careers in the healthcare field after they graduate.

Ten students in Chelsea High School’s Healthcare Academy and nine students in the Career Technical Educational Center’s Health Science program recently passed the National Healthcareer Association Certified Patient Care Technician exam.

Not only did the students pass the exam, but they exceeded the national exam pass rate and earned their first set of healthcare credentials.

“They are now certified PCTs and are prepared to start internship rotations at Shelby Baptist Medical Center and Heart South Cardiovascular Group in January,” Healthcare Academy instructor Andrea Maddox said.

The new CPCTs from CHHS include Taylor Land, Ava Tumlin, Jessie Holsombeck, Rylee Speed, Grier Reid, Chloe Maliska, Nia Cummings, Jenna Grace Williams, Marin McCulla and Mya Wells.

The new CPCTs from CTEC include Brady Wagar, HHS; Madison Smith, SCHS; Hannah Driver, SCHS; Maria Salgado-Patino, SCHS; Laci Kelley, SCHS; Cieasha Jones, OMHS; Tytianna Harris, MHS; Isuara Hernandez-Landeros, MHS; and Yulliana Gutierrez Diaz, MHS.

“I’m super proud of two of our health care programs,” Shelby County Schools Career and Technical Education Supervisor Julie Godfrey said. “They are now ready to start their rotations in the medical field. This invaluable experience truly gives them real world experience and prepares them for their next steps in life.”