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Academy of Healthcare Excellence students Ashton Smith, Kaylei Greenwood, Amelia Rockwell, Hayes McCarra, and Laici Sims use an Anatomage Table to study the human anatomy during class at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Miss., on Monday, August 26, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today
GLUCKSTADT – The Academy of Healthcare Excellence at Germantown High School, led by Assistant Principal Brent Brownlee, has grown from 10 students in 2013 to over 300 today.
The “school within a school” program recruits eighth graders and offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum along with career and technical education focused on health care. Students begin with foundational courses before specializing in areas like sports medicine or clinical services.
The program features hands-on learning through leadership activities with Health Occupations Students of America, field trips, workplace learning, job shadowing, mentorships and community service.
The Academy earned the MODEL Academy status from the National Career Academy Coalition in 2018. This recognition, valid for four years, places it among the top career academies in the country.
“Our goal is to provide students with progressively higher levels of competence leading towards high-skill, high-wage careers,” Brownlee said. “This program integrates a thematic approach in medical health science with core classes, ensuring students see the relevance of their education to real-world health careers.”
Junior Savannah Brock appreciates the practical experiences offered by the academy.
“The practical experiences and field trips have deepened my understanding of health care and made me more excited about my future career,” Brock, who has developed an interest in neuropsychology, said.
Brownlee emphasizes the importance of real-world application in preparing students for their future careers.
“We want them to be able to articulate what the Academy has done for them because we want them to be marketable and competitive,” he added. “Getting them four years under their belt taught by registered nurses and athletic trainers gives them that leg up versus other students who may not have similar programs in their schools.”
Academy of Healthcare Excellence students use an Anatomage Table to study the human anatomy during class at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Miss., on Monday, August 26, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJamie Hoerman, an Academy of Healthcare Excellence teacher, right, assists Ashton Smith, from left, Kaylei Greenwood, Amelia Rockwell, Hayes McCarra, and Laici Sims as they use an Anatomage Table to study the human anatomy during class at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Miss., on Monday, August 26, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayAmelia Rockwell, from left, Hayes McCarra and Ashton Smith demonstrate CPR techniques on neonatal mannequins during class at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Miss., on Monday, August 26, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayAshton Smith, an Academy of Healthcare Excellence student, demonstrates CPR techniques on neonatal mannequins during class at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Miss., on Monday, August 26, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayAcademy of Healthcare Excellence students Amelia Rockwell and Hayes McCarra demonstrate CPR techniques on neonatal mannequins during class at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Miss., on Monday, August 26, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayCharlie Gamberine uses virtual reality goggles for semi-immersive concussion education during class at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Miss., on Monday, August 26, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayA’mere Holt, left, and Kirstin Porter use virtual reality goggles for semi-immersive concussion education during class at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Miss., on Monday, August 26, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayAcademy of Healthcare Excellence students Izzy Holland, left, and Savannah Brock give a presentation on forensic scientists during class at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Miss., on Monday, August 26, 2024. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today
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Photos: Germantown High School’s Academy of Healthcare Excellence
by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today August 30, 2024
Eric J. Shelton was a 2018 corps member in Report for America, and joined the team as our first photojournalist. A native of Columbia, Miss., Eric earned his bachelor’s in photojournalism from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was a multimedia journalist for Abilene Reporter-News, chief photographer for the Hattiesburg American and photo editor for the Killeen Daily Herald before joining our team June 2018. He rejoined Mississippi Today as our health photojournalist in January 2022.
