Earn your Certified Nursing Assistant Certification (CNA) license while still in high school. The course is designed to prepare you to perform basic nursing tasks under direction of a Registered Nurse.  Complete the course work and take the state test which places you on the nurse aid registry. This certification is required of all Nursing Schools.

General Program Information

• Maximum 10 students can enroll
• Must be in your Junior or Sophomore year
• Juniors considered first
• Must be 16 years old to participate
• Certain credentials must be met in order to qualify as a candidate for the CNA class
• Meets State and Federal requirements for CNA certification

Contact OHS School to Career Coordinator Kyla Stefan at StefanK@oasd.org for additional program information.

Start College Now (SCN)

Apply to take the course in the fall/spring through the Start College Now Program (he/she would take the course at WCTC and OHS would cover tuition costs but not the certification exam).  The deadline for fall courses is March 1 and for Spring courses Oct 1.

Click here for the online application, please note there is a paper application linked to the last question on the survey - both must be submitted by the deadline to be considered for this option.

OHS Cohort

Apply to take the course in the summer through the OHS cohort (only 10 students are accepted and this covers the same costs at Start College Now).  This course takes places at ProHealth and Shorehaven but is very competitive to get into. There will be informational pride meetings as well as a required parent meeting in the spring.  It is highly recommended that you complete Option 1 as a back-up if you apply for this option.

WCTC YA Summer

Apply to take the course through WCTC in the summer in a designated cohort with other traditional and high school students.  The initial cost would be your responsibility however upon enrolling in a youth apprenticeship program your tuition costs would be reimbursed through WCTC’s YA grant.  Space is limited and will be awarded to school districts based on the percentage of students who attend one of the required parent information meetings in the spring at WCTC.

1. Apply to WisCaregiver Program & get an ID Number (approx 1-2 weeks).
2. Schedule the accuplacer test at MATC(necessary if you have not completed your junior year of high school yet).  You need to complete this before registering for the MATC course but can do this before you receive your WisCaregiver ID Number.
3. Create an account at MATC and get an ID number.
4. Once you receive your WisCaregiver ID number and have the accuplacer results, you can register for one of the CNA courses listed on MATC’s website (please note these typically fill up fast so having the previous steps done in advance will be advantageous to you once scheduling opens up at MATC).

WisCaregiver Program

Take the course at MATC through the WisCaregiver Program.  This allows you to take the course during the summer or anytime during the school year.  The WisCaregiver's program covers all tuition, certification exams and provides a $500 working bonus at 6 months of working in a participating nursing home (Shorehaven, Three Pillars, or Lake Country Landing).  This is the most flexible and the most financially advantageous option however the caveat is that the student must secure employment at a participating nursing home (there is a high demand for CNA so finding a job would not be an issue) and courses are not offered at WCTC, rather MATC. Click here for more information on this program.

Work Opportunities When CNA Certification is Obtained

Youth Apprenticeship

You can obtain credit and release time by enrolling in a youth apprenticeship in the CNA field.  Mrs. Stefan can help secure an interview at a local nursing home where you can obtain work hours while getting paid and logging patient contact hours to maintain your CNA certification.  You must also enroll in a related course during the school year (this includes the actual CNA course or any biomedical classes, biology, etc.).

Upon completion of the program, you will receive a state industry certification which can look very favorable on a resume or on future job applications.  OHS also recognizes Youth Apprenticeship students at graduation with a designated YA stole that is provided at the end-of-the-year banquet.

Click here to learn more about the program.  If you are interested in setting up a youth apprenticeship, complete the following application linked here and return it to Mrs. Stefan.