HOYA at Career TEC

10/14/2026

We took advantage of the beautiful fall colors today for a quick photo op while showing off what we are learning this week! 🍁 Our HOYA students have been learning about infection prevention and control, including the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help protect themselves and the residents in their care.

Looking good while learning how to keep our future residents safe! 🩺💙

10/09/2026

Adasyn Rice with her chicken foot.

10/09/2026

Brynlee Windnagle with her chicken foot.

10/09/2026

Paisley Lalowski working on her chicken foot. 😊

10/09/2026

Our HOYA1 students are getting hands-on experience learning how to provide bed baths and personal care by practicing on one another and stepping into the role of both the CNA and the resident! 🫧🧼

“Spa Week” is all about mastering essential CNA skills while learning the importance of privacy, dignity, comfort, communication, and compassionate care. These activities allow our future CNAs to experience what it feels like to be on the receiving end of care, helping them better understand the needs and feelings of the residents they will one day serve.

Who says learning to be a CNA can’t include a little spa treatment?🤪

10/09/2026

Our musculoskeletal unit continued today as HOYA 2 students dissected chicken feet to see how the human hand works! Chicken feet are packed with tendons, ligaments, adipose tissue and plenty of joints, very similar to our hands.

By pulling on the tendons, students could bend and straighten the phalanges (fingers) and see that each tendon controls a different toe. They also found the tendon sheaths that protect the tendons as they slide.

Each "finger" bends at hinge joints, moving back and forth just like the knee joint they explored in the leg quarter dissection. Students could even see the same smooth, glossy cartilage covering the ends of the bones that keeps the joints gliding. It was a great way to connect the two labs!

A few students tried to get their chicken foot to pick up a pencil... no luck this time! 😄 Paisley Lalowski worked hers until she got her "hand" to fully extend. So sorry that I missed the photo/video on that one.

The class was split on a favorite: some preferred the lower extremity dissection of the leg and thigh, while others clearly had a lot more fun with the feet, as you can see in the photos and videos! The short videos will be posted separately 😎

Medical terminology and A&P coming to life again. These CNAS never disappoint!

10/07/2026

Yesterday, our HOYA1 students practiced the proper techniques for oral care🪥🦷 and shaving 🪒, putting their CNA skills into action! Students took turns practicing on one another while role-playing as residents, giving them the opportunity to experience both sides of the care interaction.

These hands-on experiences help our students build confidence, communication skills, proper technique, and compassion while learning how to provide safe and respectful personal care to their future residents. ❤️

Another day of learning, practicing, and preparing our future CNAs for the real world!👩🏼‍⚕️🩺👨🏼‍⚕️

10/06/2026

Our HOYA 2 students literally rolled up their sleeves today and dissected chicken leg quarters! Comparing them to the human leg, they identified the femur, tibia and fibula and saw firsthand how the knee joint works, including what a patella really looks like.

The Achilles tendon was a big hit. Everyone was surprised at just how tough it is! They loved bending and straightening the knee themselves, watching it glide thanks to the slick, glossy cartilage covering the ends of the femur and tibia.

Fascia, muscle fibers, ligaments and the periosteum (the thin membrane covering bone) were all on display, and cutting into the femur revealed red bone marrow! Some groups even spotted parts of the chicken's vertebrae.

Medical terminology at its finest, paired with real anatomy and physiology. Our CNAs are learning the musculoskeletal system from the inside out!

They all "passed" proper handwashing technique again as well. 😎

10/01/2026

HOYA 2 Sept/Oct. Article

  HOYA 2 students have been working hard this first quarter. They quickly discovered that medical terminology is a lot like a foreign language, so the first few weeks focused on the basics: how medical terms are built and broken down, along with body planes and anatomical positions.  Students also...

10/01/2026

HOYA 1 Sept/Oct Article

  HOYA 1 Sept/Oct Article Celebrating Our First Full Month of Learning! What a great first full month it has been in our HOYA1 class! Students have been introduced to the world of healthcare and have already begun building the knowledge and hands-on skills they will need to become successful nursin...