When Indiana Digital Learning School changed how they would offer their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) classes, they had an abundance of supplies that needed a new home. That home became the New Castle Career Center, and now many students will benefit from their generosity.
Indiana Digital is a statewide virtual school partnered with Union School Corporation in Modoc and offers student CNA services. They can reach students in all 92 Indiana counties using existing health providers in the area the student lives in. They recently changed their strategy from bringing supplies to the student to sending the student in person to a healthcare facility, which meant a surplus in medical supplies.
Executive Director Elizabeth Slinger, Ed.D., and Destiny Armor, her director assistant, arranged the donation.
“We are familiar with the quality programming and availability of job-ready career pathways provided by the New Castle Career Center,” Dr. Slinger noted. “They are an excellent educational partner, and we were happy to find a small way to help their efforts and the students in our county.”
Staff from Indiana Digital brought the supplies to the New Castle Career Center, and several programs are benefiting from the donations.
“We sent filtered masks to the welding, building trades, and facility maintenance programs. The scrubs went to the Dental Program, and we will be sending our old towels to the Vet Science program,” shared Angie Talbott, Health Science Education Instructor at the New Castle Career Center.
Talbott continued sharing the impact of these supplies: “There is a shortage of CNAs, and we are helping to fill that demand. The monetary value of the CNA supplies and equipment is several thousand dollars, but the value of our program in teaching CNA students is priceless!”
The donations included electronic hospital beds, trauma shears, medical manikins, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, patient care equipment, linen hampers, linens, and walkers. The Career Center needed many of these items for training.
“Now that money can be spent on other things that we would like to have to enhance our health science program,” Talbott expressed.
The students and staff at the New Castle Career Center are thankful for the generosity of the Indiana Digital Learning School. This is another example of community support that benefits the students at New Castle Career Center.