CTE Department introducing EMT pilot program for RTA and MVHS students

The Mount Vernon City School District Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department has announced that it will be offering emergency medical technician (EMT) training at Mount Vernon High School. The courses will be available for around 20 12th-grade students at MVHS and Rebecca Turner Academy (RTA).  

“We couldn’t be more thrilled that Mount Vernon High School and Rebecca Turner Academy students will be going back to the basics of saving human lives,” said Brian Simmons, director of CTE. 

Upon completion of the 180 hours of training, students will be eligible to sit in the New York State certification exam and receive their EMT certification. The courses for this pilot program will be held at Mount Vernon High School spanning two hours during the school day for four days a week. 

The program was brought to the District through a partnership with Kool Nerd Prep, a career preparation program that focuses on preparing students for STEM based careers. They received an $11,000 grant in order to reduce the cost to the District.  

RTA students will be transported to MVHS to complete the courses. The courses and subsequent opportunity for an EMT certification provide students with immediate employability in an industry that often needs more employees.  

The CTE Department will continue to explore introducing new courses, especially in the medical field, such as phlebotomy. Mr. Simmons believes that CTE is academic too and that the CTE Department can provide the most robust academic and career education possible. CTE skills are applicable for jobs, but they also can give students a great foundation for post-secondary education at colleges, universities or trade schools.  

Students with an EMT certification will also have a greater chance to begin several different careers in the medical field by getting this experience so early. The program will begin later this school year.