While Mrs. Rieman isn’t employed by the school district, she has been a respected member of the school board for just shy of a decade, now serving as its president.  And while she spends a good part of her time at the high school, she’s actually employed by the Jasper County Health Department, which sees tremendous value in helping Newton Community High School students earn their CNA certificate, despite the county’s lack of a hospital.   

 

The class requires two instructors, caps out at sixteen students, and is broken up between classroom learning and a more hands-on, clinical approach. Whether someone wants to find a job straight out of high school or pursue a more advanced medical career, Mrs. Rieman says the program provides high school students with a solid medical foundation.

 

“Every kid deserves an opportunity to thrive in whatever field they choose,” Mrs. Rieman offers, “so, this not only gives someone who may not be planning to go to college a career straight out of high school, but it also helps the students who are going into other things, such as nursing or physical therapy or even doctor, prepare for that future. They already have this [their CNA] done and ready to go.”

 

Over the last nine years, Rieman has prepared approximately one-hundred students to test for their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Certificate through the Basic Nurse Class. The course is one of a number of offerings providing dual credit status through Newton High School and Olney Central College, establishing the foundational requirements needed to get hired by any area hospital straight out of high school.

 

One such student is Laney Hemrich, a senior at Newton High School and someone who has always felt called to pursue a career in health care. She is currently completing the Basic Nurse Course and anticipates taking the state certification test towards the end of her school year, likely possessing her CNA before she even graduates.  While the specifics of her medical career are a work in progress, she is confident she will remain in the community.

 

Hemrich’s family and her faith have always taught her to put others first.  Her face lights up with excitement as she shares. “Anything, where I can help someone out and make sure others are getting the healthcare they need, is a priority to me.”

 

She adds, “Oftentimes, I feel like people who grow up in a small town just want to get away. Generally, I’d like to stay home. I feel like I was meant to stay here, to be close to family, and to be able to share my knowledge and help with the people around here,” says Hemrich.

 

It’s obvious that Mandy Rieman has a great deal of optimism for Jasper County’s future and cherishes her role in preparing students like Hemrich for that future.  Her philosophy towards education is simple, but not easy.  ‘As long as we can give them the tools they need to succeed, we all win.”