MORRIS — Even a cold, steady rain could not dampen spirits Sunday afternoon as Grundy Area Vocational Center's Health Occupations program held its first Certified Nursing Assistant Pinning Ceremony.
The ceremony was held in the GAVC parking lot, and with all social distancing guidelines in place. The students with last names A-K had their ceremony at 1 p.m., and the students L-Z were at 2:30. Students were assigned a parking spot, and were able to tune into FM 91.7 in their vehicles to hear instructor Jennifer Shell and guest speaker Megan Bugg speak. Bugg could not attend, but she recorded her message and it was played via computer video.
"This is the first time we have had a pinning ceremony at GAVC," Shell said. "Before, the CNA program graduates got pins, but we didn't have a ceremony. We figured that, after seven months of the craziness these kids have endured, it was time to honor them with a ceremony."
Shell said that the ceremony was originally to be held at Twin Rails in Minooka, but that COVID-19 restrictions caused the format to change.
After Shell's speech, in which she encouraged her graduates to always listen to their patients, the students approached a tent that was set up and received their pin. Each student was to bring someone with them to attach the pin, someone that they looked up to and had an impact in their lives.
After the pin was placed, a photo was taken and the students returned to their cars. Since the GAVC CNAs wear blue scrubs, they have been nicknamed "bluebirds." Each graduate received a cookie decorated as a bluebird as well. After all of the students had their pins, they lit a unity candle as a class and recited the CNA pledge.
The pledge reads, "I solemnly pledge to attend to the physical and emotional needs of those in my care with kindness and a gentle hand, to maintain high more and ethical values, to always keep the rights of patients in mind, to keep my patients safe from harm, to keep a kind sense of humor, to help others in positie ways, and to listen to my patients not only with my ears, but with my eyes and heart as well. This is my pledge to my profession as a CNA."
"Everything went real well," Shell said. "All of the students were there. Of course, the weather couldn't have been more 2020. It was warm Saturday, but of course, on Sunday it rained and was cold.
"But, the kids and parents really appreciated it and they were very happy."
After the ceremony, Shell said that they had a parade with horns honking for the graduates.
"One of our students' father is a policeman, so he was there to have his siren going for the kids, too. That was awesome."
Shell also thanked her assistants, Angela Hatz and Tiffany Larsen, and GAVC administrators Lance Copes (Director), Jeanne Skube (Assistant Director) and Kara Geirke (Student Services Coordinator), as well as Joe Terrell, J.D. Morrison and Scott Daggett for making the cermony possible.
"I also want to say that we have tremendous community support," she said. "We have had so many donations from the community that make things easier for us."