A typical day at the Lewis and Clark Career Center  starts, for Junior Rachael Cutright, with a procedure of washing her hands.  Students are learning all of the basics of nursing such as the proper way of washing their hands, as well as actually being a nurse’s assistant. Next on her agenda is just like any other class; they listen to a lecture or study terminology. Each day students must be wearing scrubs, a watch and white tennis shoes.

“An average day… I get there, get my stuff all out, go change, make sure everything is done, then I go to the back and wash my hands,” Cutright said. “We have this special procedure to washing our hands, it’s a long thing, but I mean it’s all for the goodness of helping someone, to make sure they don’t get sick.”

When signing up for Lewis and Clark as a junior or senior, students apply like a job. Everyone is assessed and chosen from a list. Some requirements to getting accepted are taking a general test, having a background check and getting a drug test. One suggestion from Cutright for students looking to join the Lewis and Clark program is to try to join junior year, so that even if they don’t get in, their name will be out there for a better chance for  senior year.

“The program offers students an opportunity to learn a trade,” guidance counselor Rachel Faulkner said. “They get to go straight into work after high school in some instances, or learn if they like it or not.”

Cutright’s favorite part of the Lewis and Clark Program is meeting so many different students from all over. She enjoys getting to know them and then working together with them. According to Amani Pullman, a student from FHN in the Lewis and Clark program with Cutright, it will help her to get her foot in the door and help with future college classes. She also described what Rachel is like in class.

“[Rachel] wants to learn a lot, so she is interested in what we are doing,” Pullman said.  “She’s energetic, she’s positive, and she’s motivated.”

Being a part of the health-related occupations program at Lewis and Clark is no easy task. These students learn how to define 350 compound medical terms that, when put together, can make 11,000 different words. Cutright wants to be a neonatal nurse which includes the care of infants after they are born. She decided to do the Lewis and Program to see if it was what really she wanted to do and to get experience for the future.

“It was just something for me to just see how I feel if I wanted to be a nurse because it actually gives you real life experience,” Cutright said. “I learn everything that a nurse would learn, what nurses assistants would learn and much, much more.”

Not only are the Lewis and Clark students learning everything they will need to know in their future, but they are getting practice. During the second half of this year-long program, the students get to go into hospitals and they become a nurse’s assistant. They help transport people, give baths, and sometimes take vitals.

“A lot of students think of it as the ‘nursing program’ but it’s a base for a lot of medical-related occupations,” Faulkner said. “Second semester they go out on rotation and get the hands on experience with patients.”

Not only is Cutright involved in this advanced career program, but to add to the stress she is a varsity cheerleader at FHN. She comes to school at 7:20 with all of the other students. She stays at FHN through lunch. She then goes to the Career Center for the rest of the day. After that, she comes back to school at 2:00 and waits until cheer practice. The program is beneficial for students to learn a trade, but it does come with its share of stress. She agrees that it is stressful but that it’s worth it.

“Just be ready,” Cutright said. “Just don’t go into [the program] thinking ‘this is going to be easy, it’s a blow off class.’ No, it’s not a blow off class, it’s the reason why they have these lists. Some people don’t get in, some people do. It’s good to have.”