Twenty-six McHenry High School students were honored recently in the school’s first-ever White Coat Ceremony to not only mark their completion of the four-course Biomedical Science program but also celebrate the successful implementation of the health care curriculum.
McHenry High School teachers, administrators and families gathered for the ceremony in the Warrior Room in the school’s new Center for Science, Technology and Industry at Upper Campus. After the ceremony, families got to view the new center’s Biomedical Science classroom, which includes advanced spaces and equipment for biomedical science.
Each student received a personalized white coat to signify the successful completion of the four biomedical science courses meant to prepare high school students for future study in health care. Those courses are Principles of Biomedical Science, Human Body Systems, Medical Interventions and Medical Residency, a job shadowing program at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital.
“This is the first ever here at McHenry High School,” McHenry High School Principal Jeff Prickett said during the ceremony. “I hope you feel what a momentous occasion this is.”
Instructor Leah Pelletier said this first ceremony represents a culmination of the effort to bring the rigorous health care curriculum to McHenry High School. Many of the students honored started the program in their freshman year and some also participated in separate certification programs through McHenry County College.
“We’re so happy to celebrate the accomplishments of these fine young people,” Pelletier said.
“Many of these students have earned college credit and scholarship opportunities through the national assessments given at the conclusion of each course.”
Three of the biomedical courses are Project Lead The Way courses and prepare students for the final capstone course, Medical Residency.
McHenry High School seniors who completed the program said it helped them to learn about different health care jobs and narrow their focus for their own careers. Senior Shane Spatol learned that, instead of working in a clinical setting, he’d prefer to work developing technologies as a biomedical engineer.
Others said it further prepared them for future careers in nursing, physician assistant and other clinical jobs. Seniors Yaksi Gonzalez, Sabrina Komorous and Melanie Lopez all agreed the program gave them a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in health care.
“I learned about jobs in the medical field that I had no idea of before,” said Komorous, who plans to study to become a nurse-practitioner or a physician assistant.
Studying for a career in health care didn’t dim even though we were going through a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, students said. The pandemic did present some challenges, though, especially for the Medical Residency students who often had to take a pause from working at the hospital.
“I want to help,” said Gonzalez, who plans to study nursing. “I feel like now we appreciate them (health care workers) more.”
Other students in this first “class” of Biomedical Science “graduates” are: Julio Barrientos, Zoe Boxlietner, Katrina Cronin, Sara Dabbagh, Alexandria Fogleman, Logyn Frapolly, Kaitlyn Greve, Molly Harrison, Olivia MacDonald, Khristy Martinez, Danielle Nowak, Jenny Pham, Brianna Rounds, Jocelyn Salazar, Angelica Sandria-Escobar, Aidan Shafer, Megan Shannon, Avary Shrum, Shane Spatol, Trinity Ullrich, Tsi-tsi-ki Viveros-Zarate, Rylee Weymouth and Renee Wise.