We have been at St John's in the classroom for the first couple weeks. Students are working to acquire their OSHA safety certification cards. We should be completing the course this week. Students work individually on the different sections of the course, some spend more time than others studying for each section test. Therefore everyone does not get finished on the same day. They are encouraged to bring other homework,or something to do in class if they finish before other students. When everyone is finished with the final exam we will be going to the Freeport Shop, across the street, north of the football field. We will start with some tool training, going over what tools we have and how to use them safely. We will be doing our first shop course on residential electric. This is usually a popular course. It is a good way to get the students interested and involved.
Careers In Business (CIB)
August/September 2025
Welcome Careers In Business where we learn an obscene amount of information used in the
business world and in everyday life! The first few days we spend time getting to know one
another through different games, ice breakers, and conversation. A few students were caught off
guard and had to divulge more about themselves than others during the toilet paper game.
Curious? Just ask Hailey, Blake and a few others!
We are focusing on communication skills as they are the most important skill set in any career.
We discuss what we’ve learned and translate it to real life situations in school, sports, and the
workplace. We just finished learning about interpersonal communication and emotional
intelligence. The student had mini mock-debates using verbal and predetermined non-verbal
cues. After that, the class had to guess each classmates non-verbal cue. They had a ton of fun!!
Next is Team Communications where they will create an agenda, hold their own group meetings,
and design and market this years’ career gear which will be sold mid-September. After that,
students will quickly dive into writing college business proposals, different types of business
letters, and memos. They will also begin using MS Word to help them accomplish their writing.
CIB II has 6 wonderful seniors who have internships at local businesses. Some of the students
began their internship this summer to accommodate their busy school schedule while others have
just started. It was the student’s responsibility to find their own internship. Below is a list of the
students and their home school.
Asher Coverstone Freeport
Gracie Ditsworth Pearl City
Brandon Hille Perl City
Kayden Martin Pearl City
Domonick Therman Freeport
Brayden Zissler Pecatonica
In addition to their internships, we meet weekly where they work portfolios, college and career
papers, volunteering, and presentations just to name a few things. I’m looking forward to getting
to know this year’s group of students and watching them grow!
In August, Culinary Arts students were introduced to the food service industry. They have been learning about safety and sanitation, culinary basics, and knife skills. They also had their first lab activities in which students prepared banana bread and sugar cookies. In September, students will continue learning about sanitation to prepare for the industry-recognized Certified Professional Food Manager (CPFM) exam. If students pass the exam with 70% or more, they receive the CPFM certification and are eligible for dual credit through Highland. Students will also continue practicing knife skills in September through lab activities such as salsa preparation.
As we only meet on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday afternoons, we haven’t had too much time in class, but our HOYA 2 students have been busy discussing their current internships. I am very proud of each of them as they all passed their state CNA exam on their first try. They were extremely busy over their summer break working and getting some of their required 255 total internship hours. The students have chosen internships at a hospital, several nursing homes, and an assisted living facility are just a few options the students have chosen. They will be building upon the skills they learned in HOYA 1 as well as working on their employability skills. In fact, I am proud to announce that, Macie Wales, was chosen as Employee of the Month at WinnPrairie. Such an amazing accomplishment for Macie.
In the coming weeks, HOYA 2 students will embark on an exciting project: planning and constructing their first Community Bulletin Board. This initiative is an essential part of their curriculum, allowing students to creatively express their knowledge and insights while engaging and teaching the community of other CareerTEC students as well as followers of our HOYA Facebook page. Stay tuned for the unveiling of their work and the valuable insights it will bring!
The initial chapter of their studies this year will focus on a review of healthcare's past, present, and future. This exploration will enable students to understand the evolution of healthcare practices, advancements in medical technology, and the emerging trends shaping the future of the industry. The students will be looking into the pros and cons of AI in healthcare. They will also begin their journey into Medical terminology by studying small snippets of prefixes, suffixes, and word parts for their weekly quiz. As they say, the best way to eat an elephant (Medical words) is one bite at a time.
HOYA Program Newsletter
Welcome to an exciting new school year! We’ve had a productive first week in the CNA program. On the first day, we focused on establishing clear expectations for success. Students reviewed the syllabus, student handbook, and a miscellaneous packet outlining key information. Each student received a checklist that must be completed, which includes logging into Remind, Google Classroom, and Planbook (for grades), as well as submitting signed documents.
On Friday, we conducted emergency drill practices covering fire, severe weather, earthquake, hard lockdown, and soft lockdown protocols. Safety is a top priority, and our students did a great job participating. Additionally, students were fitted for their scrubs—an exciting step as we move closer to clinical work!
Looking ahead to the week of 8/25, we will begin exploring different healthcare settings, the care team, and practicing proper handwashing techniques. Our first test, covering Chapters 1 and 2, is scheduled for Friday, 8/29.
Please note the attendance policy: students may miss up to 9 days per year. On the 10th absence, they will be dropped from the program (exceptions apply for school functions). The late work policy is as follows: 1 day late = 50% credit, 2 days late = 0%. This is designed to prepare students for the expectations of college and the healthcare workforce.
We’re off to a great start, and we appreciate your support!
Sincerely,
Ms. Miller
HOYA 1 Program Instructor
