BURRILLVILLE – Eight Burrillville High School students completed CNA coursework over the summer at Zambarano Hospital, receiving valuable hands-on training in the healthcare field, and now have the opportunity to complete the certification thanks to the district’s ongoing collaboration with the state facility.
Supt. Michael Sollitto said that one of the students has also passed the required written test, making her the first Bronco to become fully certified through the unique program.
The collaboration between BHS and the Burrillville-based hospital, a division of Eleanor Slater, first began in 2023, with students shadowing staff at the Beazley facility. The idea came initially as a way to get students interested in becoming certified nursing assistants, which at the time, were sorely needed at the hospital.
For the school, the partnership provided a way for biomedical students to earn credit for career and technical education while gaining hands-on experience.
“The idea was born from the hospital’s need to hire CNAs and Burrillville High School’s desire to provide students with pathways to careers,” explained Randal Edgar, public information officer for the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals.
In 2024, the school held a pinning ceremony for the second group of students to complete their CTE work-based learning hours at the hospital thanks to the district’s relationship with officials at RI BHDDH.
“This partnership has provided incredible learning opportunities for our students and has brought energy and joy to Zambarano staff and patients,” noted a post from the district at the time celebrating the program’s success.
That same year, students in the Construction Management Pathway built a podium for RI BHDDH.
Since then, collaboration between the two town-based entities has only grown.
Earlier this month, students in the BHS Construction and Engineering Pathway worked with hospital officials to build a mechanical scarecrow for the Glocester Scarecrow Festival. Their creation, a solar-powered nurse and patient that moved to greet visitors at the event earned an honorable mention in the contest.
Now, the latest crop of students has completed more intensive summer work-based training, which could lead to even greater opportunities in the future.
It’s “a great opportunity for our students and for them to have a foot in the door and a possible career,” said Sollitto in announcing the recent achievement.
“The Burrillville School Department/High School holds the license through RIDOH, and we host as the clinical training site,” Edgar explained. “This is a first.”
Sollitto noted that the summer program was “really well run,” thanks in part to biomedical teacher Gennaro Ferraro. And because the hospital has a union, any students who secure jobs at the facility could be eligible to have further education paid for in the healthcare field, and work toward a nursing license.
All eight graduates from the summer program are eligible to become CNAs.
“They’re all ready to take that exam when they can,” said Sollitto, noting its also a great opportunity for kids to stay local.
“This is a fantastic idea,” said School Committee member Silvia St. Pierre.
The certification program is open to juniors and seniors who must 18-years-old.
Sollitto said there’s discussion of also running the certification program during time after school and on weekends.
“There’s so many hours that need to be completed so it makes it difficult during the school year,” he said. “Those kids need to be in classes.”
The partnership, he noted, has helped the school’s biomedical program, which also has an EMT component, to take off.
“We’re looking at expanding it to a couple of other fields that I don’t want to mention quite yet in case they don’t come through,” Sollitto said. “Stay tuned.”
