Seven recent graduates of Selma High School were awarded their certified nursing assistant licenses after passing exams in June.

The students were part of program at the high school that teaches them the foundations of nursing.

“It teaches them basic nursing skills, and allows them to be able to go into the nursing home, do clinicals and perform skills on real individuals so they can get training,” said Courtney Carter-Clark, health and science teacher at Selma High School. “Once they take the class and past the test, they are certified nurses aids. They can go to work and be employed. They will be college and career ready.”

The class counts as two credits for seniors and is only offered for students who have previously taken healthcare classes in the 10th and 11th grades. This year, Carter-Clark said she had 10 students to take the test, and seven to pass, making her proud of her students and the work they put into the course.

“There’s no other feeling. I call all of them my children. I’m just as proud as their parents are,” she said. “It makes my very proud that I had a part in playing in them actually wanting to go into the health field and preparing them for the health field.”

Shavonne Milhouse was one of the seven students to pass the test and become a certified nursing assistant and now plans to take her skills to the next level by attending school the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

“I started going to Ms. Carter’s class in 10th grade, and that’s when I really decided I wanted to be a nurse,” Milhouse said.

Also earning their CNA was Asia Molette, Ayanna Kelly, Daija Kelly, Martravious Stallworth, Herneshyia Walker and Lakayla Wilks.