When students at Portal Middle/High School started the school year Aug. 2, the school building was not the only thing new. A Patient Care Assisting class, offered as a dual enrollment option from Ogeechee Technical College, also made its debut in Portal. 
      With a classroom full of juniors and seniors, instructor Lee Street is able to offer something she said has long been on her list of needs at the school. 
      “For quite some time I have wanted to offer some sort of introduction to healthcare for our students, but budget constraints kept us from doing it,” Street said. “Having Ogeechee Tech offer this PCA class is the answer to that need.”
      With a bachelors in nursing from Georgia Southern University, Street is the school nurse at Portal Middle/High School and serves in that capacity from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day, before becoming a dual enrollment instructor for Ogeechee Technical College on the Portal campus from 1:30 until 3 .pm.
      Street said that technology plays a large role in the delivery of information about health care and Patient Care Assisting. 
      All clinical experiences are under the direct supervision of Street and clinical preceptors at the institutions. 
      For senior class member, Maci Cook, the prospect of taking care of a patient is exciting.
      “I love helping people, and I’m going to do my best when it comes to caring for patients,” Cook said. 
       Although she one day hopes to be a physical therapist, Cook said the experience gained in the PCA class will help her confirm that she can handle the demands of patient care.  She describes the class as “fun, interesting, and something new” for her.
      Brionna Flood’s mother is a registered nurse, so following in her mother’s footsteps is important to her.
      “This is a good start for me,” Flood said. 
       As a member of the PCA class at Portal, Flood has the chance to get a certification that will allow her to work in the medical field while pursuing her nursing degree.
      Like Cook, Flood finds the class, “quite interesting” and is excited about the impending clinical opportunities. As a senior at Portal, Flood knows she has decisions ahead which will impact the rest of her life.
      “I’m glad I got in this class, and I can’t wait to actually start taking care of patients,” said Flood.
      At Ogeechee Technical College, dual enrollment is an option available at a number of local high schools, according to vice president for Academic Affairs, Dr. Charlene Lamar. 
      “Students have the opportunity to participate in dual enrollment at most of the high schools in Bulloch, Evans, and Screven Counties,” Lamar said.
      Ogeechee Tech’s primary service delivery area, and the counties for which the College is responsible for dual enrollment, include those three counties. 
      “We try to target subject areas which will offer students an opportunity to explore career options while giving them viable training and skills with which to work, even if they do not pursue further education in that area,” Lamar said.
       Hillari Brown is OTC’s high school coordinator, a position in which she focuses on supporting the programs at all the area high schools. 
      “We currently have dual enrollment options at Portal, Southeast Bulloch, Statesboro, Screven County, and Claxton High Schools,” she said. “Programs which are currently offered include, medical receptionist, criminal justice, hotel/restaurant/tourism management, and of course PCA.”
      Street’s PCA students are learning about diabetes, and are planning to participate in an American Diabetes Association fundraiser, and looking forward to the hands-on experience they will get when they go to their clinical site.
      “The engagement that technical education provides and the opportunity to put what they learn into action intrigues my students, and through that interest and curiosity can begin careers that serve them well in life,” Street said.
      Portal assistant principal, Stephen Hoyle, agrees with Street. 
      “Having OTC's Patient Care Assisting program here on our campus provides our students with another career-technical elective. It also introduces our students to the many career opportunities in the health care field,” he said.  
      To learn more about any Ogeechee Technical College dual enrollment option, contact Hillari Brown at (912) 871-1937.