Houston High School students participate in cold learning lab at Skeetawk

PALMER — Over a dozen Houston High School students participated in a cold weather injury and illness learning lab hosted by Skeetawk.

CTE-Health Science Education Teacher MaryCatherine Harmon said this hands-on educational outing was a great opportunity for her students.

"It was really great from start to finish," Harmon said. "We're just grateful for Skeetawk."

Skeetawk Pro Ski Patroller Nathan Vertel led the learning lab and covered various topics such as frostbite, hypothermia, tracking beacons, and locating people that are buried under snow due to an avalanche. He said it's practical knowledge for anyone living in the Mat-Su Valley.

"I think it's widely applicable, especially given the wide nature of the Valley… The more you can do in your time of waiting for help the more success you'll have," Vertel said.

Medical training is required to acquire a ski patrol position, and there are numerous opportunities across the state for that line of work. Harmon said the learning lab was a great way to show students how diverse the medical field is.

"There's opportunities for students outside the traditional medical setting," Harmon said.

Students participated in various workshops to practice actions ski patrollers encounter such as splinting legs, poking poles through snow to locate people, and how to use various types of equipment such as rescue sleds.

Houston freshman Baeli Thorpe said the learning lab was a great experience.

"I learned a lot of things I had no clue about before," Thorpe said.

Harmon said that she hopes to take her students on more trips like this in the future. She said it exposes them to new ideas and gives them a chance to feel out their passions.

"That's my goal," Harmon said.

Harmon said having these types of educational opportunities helps pave the way for students to go on to fill much needed positions in the medical industry.

"I'm really excited," Harmon said. "It's a need in our state. It's a need in our country."

Vertel is a former teacher who taught in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. He said the CTE program is an effective community resource that can inspire students to take ownership in their educational journeys.

"You learn the most when you have buy-in and there's passion," Vertel said. "It gives kids a chance to see what pathways interest them. There's no one particular path for anybody so these kinds of programs are amazing."

Vertel said that he's glad he could help Skeetawk facilitate this learning lab.

"It was a really cool experience we're hoping to build out in the future," Vertel said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com