Seniors taking initiative

Amanda Martin, Reporter

“It’s a step in the right direction,” is how senior Madison Sapp describes her experience this year participating in the CNA (certified nurse assistant) class at the BACC (Bloomington Area Career Center).

The BACC offers 12 different classes for students ranging from Fire Sciences and EMT to Nurse Assistance and Cosmetology.

Sapp alongside senior Madigan Landess decided to sign up for this program hoping to see if this would give them a deeper insight into their intended career path.

“I want to pursue a career in law enforcement,” Landess said. “I thought it would be interesting to get a taste in the career path to see if I like it.”

The BACC program is offered at Bloomington High School with three different time periods set throughout the day.

“The worst part is driving,” Sapp said. “It isn’t hard but very inconvenient sometimes going from one school to another.”

Although the classes have given numerous opportunities for these students, the time away from U-High during senior year can be hard to adjust to.

“It is really weird,” Sapp says. “You don’t get to really see anyone and it makes it a lot harder to enjoy senior year when you only spend four hours a day at school instead of the regular six or seven.”

U-High Counselor Courtney O’ Connor has had numerous students in the past nine years sign up for BACC classes and has seen the growth in the program through the years. Each year a representative comes to U-High to inform students of the possibilities this program offers.

“Each year the program is growing,” O’ Connor said. “It is all up to the student to decide with what they are interested in.”

The BACC provides ‘hands-on’ opportunities for students to learn. Sapp, who is in the CNA class participates in clinical at nursing homes.

“We learn about how to take vitals, feeding, and changing sheets,” Sapp said.

Landess who participates in the Criminal Justice class has learned how to solve a crime case based on evidence given to the students over a crime scene.

“They set up crime scenes all throughout BHS,” Landess said. “Our teacher would set up these scenes then with the evidence given to us, we had to solve the case with what we were given.”

The criminal justice class also sat in on a criminal justice class at Illinois State University, and received the opportunity to attend a defense training course with the National Guard.
“Although it is time consuming,” Landess said,  “I believe this is a step in the right direction for my future by taking this class.”