AHS offers further education options
Crystal NelsonTwo extended-day programs at Alpena High School give students an opportunity for hands-on learning experience and preps them for college and future careers. Students can elect to attend the auto technician class or the health care occupations class in addition to their regular, five-class course loads.
Both classes convene Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:30-7:30 p.m. with a brief lunch and periodic breaks. The classes consist primarily of junior and senior students. Principal Matt Poli said kids can sometimes put in up to a 15 hour day after they complete morning chores, attend school from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and finish with their extended-day program.
Poli said the length of the class opens up a lot of flexibility for the students to do course work and labs, listen to guest speakers and go on field trips. On days where students don't have their extended day classes they leave campus after fifth hour.
The auto technician class has been taught at AHS for many years. Poli said it's amazing what the kids have to learn in that class, but the students do it all.
"It's a neat, neat program when you see it up and running. It's amazing what they learn," he said. "And for a lot of the students, school might be a little harder for them and it is an absolute pleasure to watch them work because they're so excited about what they're doing."
Automotive instructor Mark Hay said the class begins with a safety unit and the students are currently learning about the tools and the equipment usage. Wednesday students learned how to safely jack up different types of vehicles.
"Our program is basically broken into two years. One year we teach all of the electricity and electronics and next year we will obviously be going over the safety stuff because that's always the same and then we'll be doing breaks and engine repair next year," he said.
The class is National Automotive Technician Education Foundation approved and the students receive a certificate of completion from the school when they're through.
Poli said this is the first time the health care occupations class has run as an extended-day program since he's been principal. He said the last time he stopped in, students were in the process of learning the definitions and the spellings of about 50 medical terms.
Health care occupations teacher Candy Newton said topics covered in the course vary.
"We are currently using a textbook with a workbook that entails various parts of health occupations beginning with history all the way through medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, professionalism - so it's all-encompassing," she said.
Newton said by the end of the class the students will have received CPR certification. She said students also would have the opportunity to visit the hospital and other care facilities as well as job shadow someone in the medical field.
Newton said she really commends her students for stepping up and taking on additional educational endeavors.
"It really speaks highly of them that they've shown this kind of motivation and fortitude towards their education," she said.
Poli said the school has articulation agreements with several colleges, including Alpena Community College, where the students can carry the courses with them to college and get college credit.
"It's kind of like dual enrollment. If you can take credits with you, you're saving money and you're gaining experience from it," he said.
In the past, AHS has offered welding and building trade extended day programs. Poli said the programs are offered to the students every year when they register for classes but the availability of the program depends on how many students are registered for a class.
Students not enrolled at AHS also are allowed to take the classes, as the automotive tech class currently has two students from Alcona in it. There are currently 27 students enrolled in the automotive tech program and 18 students enrolled in the health care occupations course.
Crystal Nelson can be reached via e-mail at cnelson@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693.
