| Jasper County Sun Times
Students at Beaufort-Jasper Academy for Career Excellence now have the opportunity to take classes that will teach them to help save lives.
The career and technical school that is jointly operated by Beaufort and Jasper counties has introduced an emergency medical services program, with seven students currently enrolled.
“ACE is constantly seeking to expand our offerings to meet both student needs and the needs of the Lowcountry job market,” the school’s director Michael Lovecchio said. “The health care industry continues to grow and the recent pandemic only reinforced the need for qualified frontline health care workers.”
Lovecchio said plans for the program began after a survey of students in both school districts demonstrated a demand for it.
“The only other current high school program in the state is in Horry County and they offered us guidance and direction,” he said. “The program took about three years to go from the discussion stage to reality.”
The program is under the direction of Jennifer Calcorzi, who obtained her certification at the Technical College of the Lowcountry in 1999. She moved from nursing to a full-time EMS position in 2008, continued her education and became a paramedic and crew chief.
Four years ago, Calcorzi began teaching with the Lowcountry Regional EMS Council. She joined ACE in January and continues to work with the council and Beaufort County EMS part-time.
“The EMT curriculum is broken down into seven learning modules, including preparatory, airway management, patient assessment, medical, trauma, special populations and EMS operations,” Calcorzi said. “… At the end of successful course completion, the students are then eligible to sit for national registry testing.”
Lovecchio said ACE students have had the option to attend in-person classes since September, with masks and social distancing required.
Calcorzi said the program is completed in one semester, with students attending daily for three classroom blocks. She said a fourth block is in place to allow for independent study and one-on-one instruction.
“Students have mentioned having a desire to enter the field of pre-hospital emergency care upon completion of the program,” she said. “Others have the desire to join the military and hope this will boost their qualifications for positions once enlisted. One is undecided on what specifically she wants to do, but does know that it is in the health care field.”
Lovecchio said Calcorzi is working to bring in guest speakers who work in emergency services.
“Ms. Calcorzi is 100 percent committed to see every student in this class leave on the last day fully prepared to pass the national exams,” he said. “Her goal is to eventually work alongside her graduates in the field. If we can assist some of the talented students in the area in becoming certified health care workers, we are making a difference in their lives and the lives of those in the communities we serve.”
