Pontiac Times

Pontiac School District leaders recently touted its Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program during a recent board meeting.

For the past six years, the school district has run the CNA program through Covenant Academy with many graduates going on to work in local medical centers, according to a video of the Dec. 19 meeting posted on the school district’s YouTube page.

The program enables students to directly enter the workforce as a CNA or prepares them for nursing or medical school, according to the video.

Dr. Patricia Reeves, the nursing instructor of the program, informed the board how much the program has grown over the three years she has been working with it. She also thanked the school district for the opportunity to serve and for the opportunities the district is giving to students.

“I'm here for the long haul to help these students,” Reeves said. “And I'm still working with some that are going to take the exam on the 30th, send up some timber for them. They're going to take it on the 30th. And when you think in odds, they're running up against people that are in their twenties and thirties and not passing. These are youngsters that are really trying to show, we can do this. You give it to us; you're offering us this opportunity and we're going to make the best of it.”

Reeves recalled how in the first year, one student passed the state exam. This past year, she had two excel in the state exam, with one student scoring 100% in the skills portion. One of the students was recognized by the board during the meeting.

Reeves also shared how another student, who was uncertain about taking the exam, reviewed concepts with her for four hours, according to the video. After that study session, the student passed the exam and finished the program.