Students at London’s newest high school exposed to wide variety of professionals
London firefighter James Bell helps student volunteer Jennifer Eid, 15 of Saint André Bessette Catholic Secondary School into their bunker gear including breathing apparatus during a Health Technology class at the school in London, Ont. on Monday November 10, 2014. Mike Hensen/The London Free Press/QMI Agency
Stethoscopes, 150-lb. mannequins, spine boards, stretchers — even four working hospital beds.
You’ll find them all at London’s newest high school, Saint Andre Bessette, where students learn first-aid and hear from veterinarians, optometrists, firefighters, police officers and surgeons, among others.
The Catholic school’s specialized high skills major is in justice, community safety and emergency services, part of Ontario’s plan to give students usable skills and certification before they graduate.
“It puts you ahead so when you graduate, you have that red seal on your diploma, and it’s one way to distinguish you and put you ahead of other people who want to do the same thing,” said Thomas Hawkins, 16, a Grade 11 student taking teacher Chris Bannister’s health technology class.
“I don’t know what I want to do when I graduate, but it will likely be in one of those fields (in the high skills major). If I want to be a firefighter, this shows me exactly what I’d be doing to be a fire fighter. I’m already ahead of the game,” Hawkins said.
Students are exposed to a wide variety of professionals in the justice, health and emergency fields.
The London fire departament was at the school recently to talk about fire safety and to demonstrate first aid skills and techniques.
Students who take the high-skills major — there are different ones in all high schools across the city — take all required diploma courses plus practical ones that give them certification for the real world.
It’s part of a government effort to keep students in school and graduating with useful skills.
“I like the law portion of the class,” said Noah Ashame, 16, also in Bannister’s class.
“The concept (of the high skills major) gives you a view into the world before you get out there, and I really like that it’s hands-on.”
Bannister’s health technology class exposes students to practitioners in the field that give students an idea of what they need to get hired — and succeed — in a given profession.
They’ve had visits from family doctors, firefighters, paramedics, nurses and dentists.
About 75 students will take the course this year, Bannister said. About 15 have signed up for the specialized high skills major.
“I believe in this,” Bannister said. “When I went to school, we picked courses, often based on what your friends were taking, and you were really lucky if your path in life corresponded with the courses you took. Now, students are choosing the path first.”
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Source: Giving students usable skills | The London Free Press
