Groton STEAM Center to launch health science program

The Groton Jr./Sr. High School’s (GHS) STEAM Learning Center (SLC) was approved as part of a capital project in February 2016 and opened its doors for the first time in the 2018-19 school year. Students pursue courses of study in four different career clusters, which are currently agriculture, building trades, communications and media arts, and computer science.

The SLC is an incredible resource for Groton’s students already, but it is about to launch a whole new opportunity for students and eventually for adult learners.

On April 26, Superintendent Margo Martin, along with GHS principals Scott Poreda and Jake Roe, SLC Coordinator Mick LeVick and GHS science teacher Dr. Michael McWilliams hosted local leaders from Groton Fire and Ambulance at a presentation of the health sciences pathway that will become part of the SLC’s offerings this year.

Martin was initially made aware of the community’s need for more medical emergency personnel during a casual conversation with a colleague from another district who mentioned their severe lack of emergency services, which compelled her to want to build health sciences into the curriculum at the SLC.

Groton Fire Chief Ben Nelson said there are just six paramedics on staff in his department who are paid through town and village taxes. Everyone else is a volunteer, and the service needs in Groton are great.

It was likely no coincidence that Martin had just hired McWilliams to teach science at GHS in summer 2020, because, in Martin’s words, “Dr. McWilliams embodies the inspiration to build health sciences at Groton.”

McWilliams grew up in an extremely low socioeconomic area in the Bronx and was raised by a single mother and abusive stepfather who was addicted to recreational drugs. At age 15, his grandmother finished raising him to adulthood and stressed the importance of education.

McWilliams’ Latin teacher spent extra time teaching him additional languages, inspiring in him a love of education and commitment to passing on knowledge to the next generation.

After high school, McWilliams attended Westchester Community College, earning his EMT certification in 2005. He then became a full-time EMT for an ambulance company.

“This gave me a newfound purpose, while teaching me both compassion and empathy,” McWilliams said. “It also helped me pay for some of my university expenses.”

McWilliams went on to Long Island University for a degree in Biology, then attended Georgetown University for a master’s in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He attended SUNY at Buffalo for a second master’s in Biology, where he earned a doctorate, and finally earned his M.D. at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College.

Never forgetting his love of education and teaching, McWilliams felt he could make more of a difference in the classroom. He taught elsewhere for a while but was drawn to Groton.

After hearing Martin’s vision for Groton and how she valued new ideas, it wasn’t long before McWilliams’ ideas became the basis for the next level of education in the SLC.

“Mrs. Martin supported me when I came up with ideas and helped me build them,” McWilliams said. “This is how we came up with what we call the STEALTH program at Groton. It is a combination of STEAM and health. Mick LeVick, Babs Carr, Margo Martin, Scott Weeks, Billie Downs and I came together in partnership to really strategize the future of a health program at Groton. This was later supplemented with a Farm-2-Table program and, now, an EMT, AEMT, paramedic program.”

The first rollout of the program is set to run from August 2021 through August 2022 and will begin with certifications in EMT-Basic, Wilderness First Aid/CPR, and AHA BLS in the first semester and EMT-Advanced, Wilderness EMT, AHA ALS, and AHA PALS in the spring.

While the program will begin with students, the plan is to extend it to adult learners also. All classes will take place in the SLC and will be primarily in the evenings and on weekends.

The Wilderness First Aid is open to students beginning at age 14, EMT-Basic requires a minimum age of 17, and advanced courses require age 18 and a prerequisite of EMT-Basic.

“This will build capacity in our whole region to meet the need for emergency services,” Martin said. “And the sky’s the limit for how far it can go.”

Some of the career paths that will be available to successful students would be a direct hire to an ambulance corps, opportunities through local fire departments and a pathway to AAS degree programs. That offering is anticipated at Groton as a satellite college campus in fall 2022.

Adults who are interested in a career change or reentry into the workforce may find this ideal for them, and while there is no cost for students, the cost for adults will be nominal.

After seeing the presentation and logistics in front of him, Nelson said, “I am very excited for what it will mean for the fire department and our community, and for EMS as a whole, for careers in emergency medicine.”

Joe Milliman, EMT and EMS supervisor for the GFD, was also very impressed with the program.

“I’m very excited for where it will take students college and careerwise and excited that it will foster new interests in fire and EMS,” Milliman said. “It will mold the minds of tomorrow.”

LeVick is thrilled that this offering is “another step of incremental growth of the program, taking care of the needs of our students by providing them another skill set and then branching out to the whole community.”

“Mike McWilliams was the key we needed to unlock this opportunity,” LeVick said. “He puts into practice how we best serve our students and then our community.”

Groton on the Inside appears weekly. Submit news ideas to Linda Competillo, lmc10@cornell.edu or (607) 227-4922.

In brief:

Outstanding CTE students

The following Groton students were recognized as outstanding students of the month at the Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES Career and Technical Education Center.

In February, Jason Rabenstein, Outdoor Rec Services; and in March, Cory Ayers, Heavy Equipment; Demitri Brooks, Career Exploration Program; Andrew Hudson, Outdoor Rec Services; Colin Morey, Computer Technology/Cybersecurity; and Madison Parker, Cosmetology.
The outstanding students are chosen based on qualities such as character, leadership, citizenship, work ethic and attendance. They must also be compassionate, honest, trustworthy, responsible and a positive role model.

Congratulations to these exceptional career and tech students in our school!

Groton Rotary geraniums

The Groton Rotary Club is holding its annual geranium sale with a deadline of May 13 for ordering and payment. Flowers are available in red, pink, white and fuchsia in 4.5-inch pots. Cost is $4.50 each or three for $12.

All proceeds benefit Groton Rotary’s community service projects, youth programs and scholarships. To order geraniums, stop in at Brittany Station, 152 Main St., or call (607) 898-4994.

Plants will be available for pickup from noon to 4 p.m. May 20 at the Groton Legion pavilion.

Tree and shrub removal

The annual grinding of tree limbs and shrub brush in the village of Groton will take place from May 3 through May 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Limbs and shrub trimmings should be left in long lengths, stacked lengthwise with all butt ends at one end of the pile and brought to curbside or street sides. Please do not leave any in gutters.

This service is for tree limbs and shrub brush only. Do not put leaves or yard rakings in the pile. The village of Groton may refuse to pick up any items not deemed acceptable.