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McDonald’s donates to SSHS nursing class
McDonald?s general manager Marcia Ayuyu presents a generous donation to Saipan Southern High School?s nursing assistantship program on March 14. (Jayson Camacho)
McDonald’s Saipan gave a generous donation to Saipan Southern High School’s nursing assistantship program last March 14 to help it purchase uniforms, books, and pay for the pinning ceremony for upcoming graduates.
McDonald’s general manager Marcia Ayuyu presented the check to SSHS vice principal Glenn Smith, the program’s nurse Laticia Reyes, and three students under the program.
Ayuyu said they hope the donation will encourage more students to join the program.
“McDonald’s employees are happy to help out to donate to this program because it helps a lot of students. We like to help because it will benefit a lot of them and more would eventually be interested in the program,” she said.
The program has had five cohorts since 2009.
Jin Pyo Jeon, 17, who is currently the president of the fifth cohort, said the program is very educational and rewarding, particularly since it was his first time to have hands-on experience in nursing.
Rufino Aquino, 19, said he plans to complete the course and take up nursing courses that he can use when he joins the military.
Allysha Lloren, 17, who is also on her way to completing the course, said, “The nursing experience was an overall great opportunity and I was always shy and grew as a person in the program and improved my people skills.” She said she learned to take blood pressure and do blood sugar checks and it made her appreciate what nurses do alongside doctors.
Reyes said that more than 100 students have completed the course and many are pursuing nursing at the Northern Marianas College.
The program is in collaboration with the Division of Public Health. Students become a part of the cohorts during their junior year in high school and need to complete 100 hours. They are also required to complete another 100 hours during their senior year.
They also do hours of clinical sessions at the hospital after their main class at the school.
After completion of the course, they will graduate with a nursing assistant certificate and be an actual nursing assistant after taking a test.
