Terra State health care students help vaccinate school personnel

        Terra State Community College medical assisting, nursing and health information technology (HIT) students and staff volunteered their time on Feb. 24 to help Sandusky County Public Health in their efforts to vaccinate all school personnel in the county.
        Personnel from eight school districts were vaccinated including Gibsonburg Schools, Fremont City Schools, Solomon Lutheran School, Temple Christian Academy, Vanguard-Sentinel Career and Technology Centers, Bishop Hoffman Catholic Schools, Clyde-Green Springs School District and Lakota Local Schools,
        Terra State’s Student Activities Center is the largest space in Sandusky County to be able to hold the clinic while also adhering to social distancing guidelines.
        “This area is really one of the best places in the county to hold such a large clinic. Working in collaboration with our community partners has really helped the health department to be able to hold a mass clinic,” said Bethany Brown, Sandusky County health commissioner.
        Jon Detwiler, superintendent of Fremont City Schools, had been waiting for this day to come for his staff and is hopeful to have all students back in class on normal schedules soon.
        “I am so excited for myself and my staff to get the vaccine so that we can get students back, with not as much worry,” said Detwiler, “It’s an emotional day because we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are grateful for this opportunity, to be moved ahead of the line. As educators, that’s something we don’t take lightly.”
        COVID-19 has been a learning experience for Terra State medical assisting, nursing and HIT students, who were able to volunteer and receive hands-on experience, helping to vaccinate more than 1,100 school personnel.
        At Terra State, medical assisting students also administer COVID-19 tests and antibody tests to fellow students and employees at Terra State.
        Medical assisting and phlebotomy program coordinator, Terrie Hopkins, said she was excited that her students had another opportunity to improve as professionals.
        “We have students that are vaccinating, filling out vaccination cards, helping with directions and monitoring the personnel coming in to make sure they are not having any reactions. This is an awesome experience for our students as it prepares them for their careers,” Hopkins said.
        Sara Hrynciw, a nursing student at Terra State, and Fremont Ross alumna, said she was happy to be able to utilize skills she learned in the lab to vaccinate and connect with her past teachers again.
        “We have been practicing vaccines in lab for the past few semesters and we are finally getting to do it in person,” she said. “This is a huge, memorable event for everyone. It was cool that we got to be a part of it.”