Pinning Ceremony Honors 35 SFSC Nursing Graduates

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 19, 2018 – In keeping with a time-honored tradition that spans more than a century, 35 graduates of South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program received Registered Nursing (RN) pins from parents, siblings, husbands, children, and special friends in the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on June 18.

Pinning ceremonies recognize nursing graduates for their accomplishments, reiterate their responsibilities as health care providers, and officially welcome them into the nursing profession. Having earned associate degrees, SFSC’s ADN graduates are qualified to take the National Council for Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and apply for RN licenses from the Florida Board of Nursing.

The 2018 ADN graduates are Lucio Anaya Jr., Kayln Baker, Jordan Buck, Michael Butler, A. Jovana Calderon, F. Patrick Carey III, Sabrina Decker, Francin Espiritu, Stephanie Esquivel, Susana­­ Gonzalez, Dalton Hammon, Amy Hines, Cara Johnson, Yesenia Lozano, Dennis Mejia, Crystal Morales, Nicole Morgan, Beatriz Paniagua, Maria Paniagua, Crystal Parker, Hector Ramirez, Jennifer Ratliff, Karissa Rivers, Laura Rojas, Yvonne Rosario, Tania Salinas, Jessica Sturgill, Maria Suarez, Charley Taylor, Savannah Taylor, Jose Torres, Rodine Walker, Kyle Weed, Rachel Willis, and Jared Woodings.

Keynote speaker Tracy Lethbridge, the lab and clinical coordinator of SFSC’s nursing education program, talked about the importance of family to the success of a nursing career. As a young nursing student, Lethbridge had the unique experience of completing SFSC’s ADN program with her competitive mother, who motived her to challenge herself and succeed. Once she began working as a nurse and an educator, Lethbridge came to rely on her extended “family of choice” as she experienced the joys and heartbreaks of a profession “that wants more of us than we sometimes have to give.”

“We’re nurses,” Lethbridge said. “We’ll work through lunches, bathroom breaks, weekends, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and our own mental and physical exhaustion. Sometimes we do have more to give, and we can do this because we are not alone. We are surrounded by a family who empowers us, who shares their energy with us, who love us.”

Former Class President Patrick Carey III used his parting remarks to remind his peers of the value they bring to nursing. “We’re all entering this profession for different reasons,” he said. “As much as we want to be nurses, nursing needs us in return. Nursing needs caring souls, different perspectives, and critically thinking minds. I know each and every one of you has these qualities to offer and will use them to accept head-on the awesome responsibility of which we will now be entrusted.”

Graduates committed themselves to upholding the ethics of nursing by reciting the Nightingale Pledge, a modified version of the Hippocratic Oath, in which they vowed to “maintain and elevate the standards of my profession,” “aid the physician in his work,” and “devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.” Created in 1893, the pledge bears the name of Florence Nightingale, an English war nurse and social reformer whose advocacy for nursing education, ethics, and hygiene caused her to become “the founder of modern nursing.”

Each graduating ADN class chooses an exceptional mentor to receive the “Golden DUCK Award” for helping them “Develop Understanding, Compassion, and Knowledge.” The 2018 class presented its award to nursing instructor Todd Schoen for his guidance, kindness, and encouragement.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 15, 2018 – On Thursday, June 14, 22 graduates of SFSC’s Basic Law Enforcement (BLE) Academy, Class 255 and two graduates of the Crossover Academy, Class 352, were recognized at a ceremony on the SFSC Highlands Campus, in Avon Park. 

BLE graduates who received occupational certificates were Tyler Avery, Christopher Baty, Emily Beck, Christopher Berish, Adrian Bruno-Perez, Jason Cohen, Steven A. Gilliard, Alex Hipple, William M. Jones, John P. Martinez, Pablo Mier, Joaquim T. Mustapha, Manuel Resendiz, Marcos Santiago, Luke Schmidt, Austin Springer, Dylan Staub, Austin Velasquez, Lee R. Westman, and Darlene Young. Crossover graduates receiving their occupational certificates were Michael G. Cauley and Jose A. Garcia. 

Before receiving individual awards and certificates, keynote speaker Deputy Jacob Riley of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office addressed the new officers. Riley urged the graduates, “When you get hired and raise your right hand to take that oath many have taken before you, take it with pride. Remember, the badge says who hired you. Your name plate says who raised you. Make sure in all you do, you never disgrace either of them. If you find yourself down or stressed, just remember these Bible passages: Matthew 5:9 and Psalms 82:3-4.” 

To the families of the graduates, Riley said, “Long 12-hour shifts, holidays, missed birthdays, and the occasional hurricane can bring stress on us as a whole. Love, support, and understanding when [your loved ones] are not at home make this career just a little less stressful. Know that they are doing this to make a difference in your community so that you and your children can have a better and safe life.” 

Special awards were presented to Jason Cohen who earned top honors for his academic excellence while William M. Jones was recognized as Class Leader and scored the Top Firearms award for his work on the shooting range.  

Cohen presented Sheriff Paul Blackman of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office a donation toward the Deputy William Gentry Fund on behalf of Class 255.  

SFSC’s BLE occupational certificate program trains students to become law enforcement officers in Florida. By successfully completing the program, graduates are eligible to take the state certification examination to become certified law enforcement officers.  

The Correction to Law Enforcement (Crossover) occupational certificate program trains currently employed corrections officers to become law enforcement officers in Florida. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the state certification examination to become certified law enforcement officers.  

For more information about either of these programs, visit southflorida.edu or call SFSC’s Criminal Justice Academy at 863-784-7285.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 12, 2018 – The South Florida State College (SFSC) Criminal Justice Academy is offering its new Public Safety Communication program in fall 2018.

The Public Safety Communication program prepares students for a career as a Public Safety Telecommunicator (PST) who are the first, first responders in emergency situations. The role of a PST is vital to a community and SFSC’s program will train students for civilian employment as a dispatcher (police, fire, and emergency medical telecommunicator) who operates telephones, radios, and computer terminals to respond to emergency and non-emergency requests for assistance.

“At SFSC, we listen to the community and heard that there was a need for more dispatchers throughout the region,” said Curtis Ivy, director of the Criminal Justice Academy at SFSC. “To meet that need, we analyzed the programs we have in place and the capabilities of our experienced faculty, so we applied and received certification from the State of Florida to present the Public Safety Communication program. Similar to our lineman, elementary education, and mechatronics programs, we believe that this program will fill a void in the tri-county area.”

Throughout the intensive program, students will spend more than 200 hours learning about ethics and the role of the PST; standard operating procedures; the PST’s relationship to field personnel; an overview of emergency agencies; communications equipment and functions; proper and correct telephone and dispatching procedures and techniques; federal, state, and local communication rules; emergency situations and operating procedures; and human relations skills.

Courses are taught by certified PSTs and meet the educational requirements for the Florida Department of Health’s 911 Emergency Dispatcher Certification.

For more information about the Public Safety Communication program, contact Michael Austin, coordinator of SFSC’s criminal justice program, at 863-784-7282 or michael.austin@southflorida.edu.  

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 11, 2018 – Family and friends came together on Thursday, June 7 at the SFSC Highlands Campus to celebrate and recognize Take Stock in Children mentors and to honor the accomplishments of 31 Take Stock student scholars who had just graduated from high schools in DeSoto, Hardee, and Highlands counties. 

The 31 graduates completed the journey to receiving their high school diplomas with the help of their Take Stock mentors. Many of the Take Stock scholars began participation in the program when they were in middle school. 

Take Stock in Children is a statewide program that provides children with a mentor and a two-year state college tuition scholarship. The Take Stock staff also help the student obtain financial assistance for housing, transportation, and other expenses. In return, the student signs a contract to earn at least a grade of C in every class, graduate from high school with good attendance records, maintain good behavior in school, and have no involvement with law enforcement or drugs. The SFSC Foundation serves as the lead agency for Take Stock in its service area of DeSoto, Hardee, and Highlands counties. The district Take Stock in Children has graduated 438 students since its establishment in 1996. 

“This ceremony is a tribute to the Take Stock mentors,” said Jamie Bateman, executive director for Institutional Advancement at SFSC, who also heads up the SFSC Foundation. “You’ve dedicated your time, energy, and love into making sure students are on the right path to what they have and will achieve.”  

“Our volunteer mentors are the heart of this program,” said Irene Castanon, student services coordinator for Take Stock in Children. “They give the very best of themselves by sharing their experiences and knowledge. It is one of the reasons our students are successful, and we cannot thank them enough for their time, effort, and dedication.” 

Bateman recounted the students’ achievements. “The average grade point average (GPA) for the 31 graduates was 3.75,” she said. “The highest student GPA was 4.85.”  

Bateman indicated that, collectively, the students earned $198,183 in college scholarships, and explained that they had earned 820 hours of college credit toward their undergraduate degrees by participating in SFSC’s dual enrollment program. 

Take Stock student Shauna Norwood was a Take Stock Leadership 4 Life Fellowship winner, receiving a $40,000 scholarship to college. She graduated from Hardee High School in December 2017 and earned her associate in arts degree from SFSC in May 2018.  

Each graduate approached the stage to introduce themselves to the audience, mention their mentor’s name, and say what college they would attend and what they will study. Many of the Take Stock graduates plan to complete their first two years of college at SFSC. 

“Truly, time has flown by,” Castanon said. “Five years ago, we were signing up the Class of 2018 and getting ready to provide them with mentors, a college success coach, and the start of many college readiness workshops. Now, they have all successfully completed our Take Stock in Children requirements and are ready to further their education. It has been an honor to oversee this class and see them grow to become the young women and men they are today.” 

Take Stock mentors typically meet with their assigned students each week during the school year, offering encouragement and advice. A Take Stock college success coach provides support and guidance to the mentor and the mentee. 

The 31 Take Stock graduates were:

From Desoto High School: Lorena Lara, Katelyn Jordon, David King, Kalyn Murray, Brenda Perez, and Destiny Pelham

From Hardee Senior High School: Graciela Silvan-Macedo, Yisselle Mier, Nubia Gomez, Shauna Norwood, slicia Ruiz, Alex Paulino, Jose Aleman, and Garbriela Montoya

From Lake Placid High School: Gianna Saccente, Yiley Acosta, Joseph Picior, Diana Salazar, and Omar Gloria

From Sebring High School: Adrianne Silva, Shelly Seetaram, Rafael Hernandez, Nathalie Palacios, Grace Duncan, Jordyn Belanger, Chandler Gowan, Alexandria Morris, Kylee Huylebroeck, and Nanichi Hidalgo-Gonzalez

 From Avon Park High School: Joyce Morales-Duran and Brittany Castillo

To become a Take Stock mentor, contact Castanon at 863-784-7343 or by emailing Irene.Castanon@southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 11, 2018 – Michele Heston, Ph.D., RN, CNE, dean of health sciences at South Florida State College (SFSC), has been appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to serve on the Florida Center for Nursing board of directors. Dr. Heston was recommended to serve by the State Board of Education. Her term will begin on May 11, 2018 and conclude on June 30, 2020.

In 2001, the Florida legislature established the Florida Center for Nursing to recommend solutions to combat Florida’s nursing shortage. The board of the Florida Center for Nursing is comprised of community leaders who have the experience and expertise to improve health care throughout Florida.

“The Florida Center for Nursing is the definitive source for information, research, and strategies addressing the dynamic nurse workforce needs in Florida,” Dr. Heston said. “The Center’s mission, ‘to strategically address the issues of nursing supply and demand to meet the needs of health care consumers in Florida,’ aligns with the work of the health sciences division at South Florida State College. I look forward to working with Mary Lou Brunell, the executive director, and my fellow board members to assist in the ongoing development of a caring workforce. It is truly an honor to be appointed by Governor Scott to participate in this important work at the statewide level.”

SFSC currently offers an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); an Associate of Science in Nursing to become a Registered Nurse (RN); an Associate of Science in Nursing to transition from Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to RN, and an occupational certificate in practical nursing.

For more information about SFSC’s nursing program, contact Sara McGann, health science specialist at SFSC, at 863-784-7027 or sara.mcgann@southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 1, 2018 – At age 26, Rebeca Rivera, South Florida State College (SFSC) alumna, is not only living her dream of being a nurse, but she is giving back to an organization that gave her the encouragement she needed to move ahead in her career.  

Rivera, who works as a registered nurse at Florida Hospital Heartland, recently graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing from South University and will soon take on the position of nurse practitioner with a local internal medicine practice. 

She graduated from SFSC’s Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program in 2013 and was immediately hired by Florida Hospital. In 2014, she completed her bachelor’s degree through Grand Canyon University. 

Rivera became interested in nursing at an early age and was always impressed by the professionalism and compassion of the nurse practitioner who worked in her doctor’s office. “In sixth grade, big changes happen to every girl, such as the beginning of menstruation. At that time in my life, the nurse practitioner was caring and took time to explain things.” 

While in sixth grade at Hill-Gustat Middle School in Sebring, a Take Stock in Children representative spoke to Rivera’s language arts class. “She encouraged everyone to apply to the Take Stock in Children program,” she said. “So, I took the information home, and my mom said, ‘Why not give it a shot?’” 

Take Stock in Children is a statewide program that provides children with a mentor and a two-plus-two college scholarship—two years at a state or community college and two years at a state university in Florida. The Take Stock staff also help the student obtain financial assistance for housing, transportation, and other such expenses. In return, the student signs a contract to earn at least a grade of C in every class, graduate from high school with good attendance records, maintain good behavior in school, and have no involvement with law enforcement or drugs. The SFSC Foundation serves as the lead agency for Take Stock in its service area of DeSoto, Hardee, and Highlands counties. 

“On the application for Take Stock, the student is asked to relate what they foresee as a career after graduating from college,” Rivera said. “They want you to start thinking about your career plan. Then, they’re able to set you up with a mentor who will encourage you.” 

Because of Rivera’s stated interest in nursing, Dolores Champion, an SFSC professor of nursing at that time, was assigned as her mentor. “Ms. Champion would meet with me during my lunch hour once a week,” Rivera said. “We’d not only talk about the nursing profession but also about personal things. For instance, she knew when my little nephew was born and how important that was to me. So, we’d talk about that.” 

In 2010, Rivera graduated from Avon Park High School with higher than a 4.0 GPA and went on to her nursing studies at SFSC. “I planned my nursing career out completely along the way,” she said.  

Now deeply entrenched in her profession, Rivera is transitioning from registered nurse to nurse practitioner. One of the differences she noted was her schedule. “I’m used to working three 12-hour shifts a week. As a nurse practitioner, my schedule will be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.”  

Rivera indicated that as a nurse practitioner she can diagnose patients and prescribe medications. “My passion in nursing is educating patients about their disease process, treatment plans, and prevention of certain illnesses,” she said. 

Rivera has recently been working in the Critical Care Step-Down Unit, which is for patients who are one step away from Intensive Care Unit status. “We see patients who’ve had heart attacks, congestive heart failure, stroke, and pneumonia,” she said. “Anyone who has an underlying heart condition goes to that unit.”  

In her current position, she said that she enjoys the teaching aspect as well. “I like teaching patients about various aspects of congestive heart failure,” she said. “We provide our patients with daily pearls, things they should do every day to manage their condition. I like educating them on prevention strategies to keep them out of the hospital. Some of the educating we do at the hospital, I’ll be able to do in my future role.”  

“Ultimately, cardiology is my true passion,” she said. “But I need to get a solid foundation in primary care first. Primary care deals with care of the whole person.”  

But Take Stock has followed Rivera throughout her academic life, and she knew that Irene Castanon, director of the district Take Stock program, would always be a sounding board. “If I ever had questions about anything, I knew I could go to Ms. Castanon. I value her as a friend and someone who helped me along the way. In fact, when I got married, I emailed her about it. I’ve also told her about the bad stuff—when Hurricane Irma came and damaged our apartment.” 

Although Rivera hasn’t yet become a Take Stock mentor, she has been available to speak to mentors and students at recent events. 

“The first presentation I made was at the annual Mentor Appreciation Dinner in which I told the story of my Take Stock experience,” she said. “That speech was focused on the mentors, and I explained the difference they make to each Take Stock scholar. Not only does the Take Stock program provide emotional support and feel like a family, but mentors mold the scholars. For instance, when Ms. Champion came to see me, she was shaping me to become a nurse. She explained the positives and negatives of the nursing profession and illustrated the realities. It was helpful to hear from someone who’d been there.” 

Another event Rivera spoke at was a financial aid workshop. “I addressed the high school students and discussed how Take Stock takes many financial concerns away, freeing the students to focus on their education and pursue a passion.”  

Rivera offers this advice to high school students who may be undecided about their future. “If you can’t decide on a career while in high school, the best way to determine what sparks your interest is by trying things. I have a cousin who’s four years younger than I am, and she was undecided. So, she started working toward an associate degree. Use your elective courses wisely. And you can always volunteer to see if you’re going to like a particular course of study.” 

As encouragement to nursing students, Rivera said, “Always remember the excitement and passion you felt as a new graduate, don’t forget what lit a fire in you, and never lose sight of why you wanted to be a nurse.” 

To learn more about Take Stock in Children or to volunteer as a mentor, contact Castanon at 863-784-7343.