Written by Ty Lounsbury
Staying on theme with the medical field, the next CTE is Mrs. Ragonese’s Exercise Science and Sports Medicine Program. The athletic trainer and former physical education department chair helped get this CTE started approximately five years ago, and there are only about 60 of these programs in Pennsylvania. Although it requires the same intro class, Introduction to Medical, this is different than the Allied Health CTE. This CTE is more focused on students who want to go into physical therapy, kinesiology, athletic training or similar medical fields. This is one of the shorter CTE programs because it starts in a student’s junior year, which gives potential students both freshman and sophomore year to decide if they want to go into this program.
Like other CTE programs, they go on field trips which are usually part of the clinical experience that they do in the fall. The plan is to be able to include more field trips in the curriculum, but that’s not guaranteed as it is a logistical work in progress. Although there are certain concepts that must be taught, there is also a lot that Mrs. Ragonese supplements into the curriculum based on what’s being taught in colleges, so students will be more prepared for college classes.
Students also get a lot of certifications during their time in this CTE. Something unique about the process to get into this CTE is that students must interview with Mrs. Ragonese, so she can get to know everyone beyond the rubric. This program is yet another amazing opportunity offered at Wallenpaupack Area High School!
