Country Club Middle School offers culinary arts, biomedical academies

Home By Roselind Romero, The Miami Laker staff Wednesday, June 18, 2014

 

Country Club Middle School welcomes all incoming students for the 2014-2015 school year, the second year of the school's unique academy programs with the culinary arts and biomedical programs.

The Culinary Arts Academy was launched as an answer to extend the food and nutrition programs within the curriculum that incorporate healthy concepts on exercise, nutritious foods, and adequate rest. Lead teacher for the program and teacher of the Culinary Arts course, Monique Brunson, has been a part of the school staff for four years, and has taught for 26 years.

“Our students leave the program with life skills that they will utilize in their future. Our course enables them to build the foundation that they need, in the event they decide to take these career paths,” said Brunson. “The academy program is extremely beneficial in my classroom.”

Even those not enrolled in the course benefit from the treats made by  the Culinary Academy students. They have prepared and served the faculty at the annual holiday breakfast and numerous school functions. Students apply their core curriculum skills like mathematics in measurements and science with chemical changes, which unites the core class learning with other necessary life skills.

Much like Brunson, Jerome Byrd, lead teacher for the Biomedical Academy, has also seen the benefits of the academy programs at Country Club Middle. The Biomedical Academy’s students have an advantage over those who were not exposed to the material before entering high school, they are also learning from a retired Miami-Dade Fire Department Captain.

Byrd, who has served as paramedic, Fire College Instructor, EMS Captain and has been teaching since 2007, has a variety of hands-on experience in the Biomedical field.

“Some of the skills gained in this course will be tremendously helpful in that it would make the kids feel very comfortable in some emergency situations,” said Byrd. “Our goal is to see each child certified in CPR. This course will give them the basic foundation to advance to the next level in the medical field.”

The students in the Biomedical Academy are able to take vital signs, understand basic anatomy, and have broadened their interests by participating in this program.

For more information on the academy programs at Country Club Middle, contact the school at 305-820-8800.