MCHS begins Monday; HOSA students aim for national honors

1) Middle College High School to begin in Petersburg on Monday 2) Petersburg Health Occupations Students of America students now aim for national honors 1) Middle College High School to begin in Petersburg on Monday Twenty-two Petersburg High School rising juniors are starting college two years early — and in the middle of summer. On Monday, June 23, […]

June 22, 2008; 8:37 AM • by brenda p

1) Middle College High School to begin in Petersburg on Monday
2) Petersburg Health Occupations Students of America students now aim for national honors

1) Middle College High School to begin in Petersburg on Monday

Twenty-two Petersburg High School rising juniors are starting college two years early — and in the middle of summer. On Monday, June 23, at 7:45 a.m., they will leave from the campus of Petersburg High School and travel a few miles down the road to the campus of Richard Bland College of the College of William and Mary (RBC).

All summer long and for the next two years, these students will take classes at RBC, taught by RBC professors. A new class of PHS juniors will join them in the 2009-2010 school year. When they receive their high school diplomas from PHS, if they have completed all the coursework, they will also receive an Associate’s degree from RBC and be able to transfer to any college or university with which RBC has transfer agreements, to continue their studies.

This partnership with RBC is called the Middle College High School program, and it has been carefully planned and worked out for almost a year. These students will have the best of both worlds. They will be able to attend and to participate in all PHS extracurricular activities, as well as to utilize the resources of RBC.

These students are a vanguard, bravely entering a new program that will demand of them a high level of maturity and dedication.

2) Petersburg HOSA students now aim for national honors

Raven Edmonds and Jasmine Johnson, students at Petersburg High School (PHS), won honors at the 2008 Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) statewide competition, held at the Richmond Marriott Hotel this spring.

Sixteen PHS students competed against more than 900 other students. Raven won first place for medical spelling and fourth place for musical talent; Jasmine won fourth place for musical talent.

(Contestants have the opportunity to demonstrate a talent in the competition, as part of HOSA’s holistic approach to education. Jasmine is a drum major in the PHS band and Raven sings in her church choir.)

It is the second year that PHS has won this first place statewide honor.

Both the students were recognized in May by the Petersburg City Public Schools Board for their accomplishments.

“They are high academic achievers who are very focused on their careers,” said Gloria Carey, Health and Medical Sciences Instructor at Petersburg High School.

The two students then competed in the HOSA national competition, which was held June 18 in Dallas, Texas.

HOSA membership is important for students interested in pursuing a health occupations career, Carey said. It is open to students enrolled in the PHS Nurses Aide or LPN programs.

June 22, 2008 8:37 AM 0