Even though it was Friday the 13th, superstition couldn't keep JTED/Arivaca paramedic apprentices from blazing through their first "real" fire with the success and ease of seasoned pros. 

"I was a little nervous at first, but also excited and confident because of the great training we get at JTED," says Trent "Boy Scout" Karn, an apprentice who completed both the JTED Fire Service and Law and Public Safety programs. Karn earned his nickname from classmates for his Eagle Scout status and clean-cut style. 

There were no injuries and the residential structure wasn't totaled as Karn, and fellow JTED alumni apprentices Ian Aguirre and Adrian Koch, along with Arivaca Fire District (AFD) firefighters spent about ten hours extinguishing and cleaning up the three-acre blaze. Officials say a homeowner started the brush fire near the Coronado Forest while cutting metal in his yard on June 13.

"The interns did an excellent job," says AFD Chief Scott Van Boerum, a former JTED instructor. "This was the first chance they had to see the incident command system in action."  

Van Boerum heads up the AFD Paramedic Apprenticeship Program, a paid internship helping JTED Fire Science graduates jump-start their career. And, the timing couldn't be better - labor projections show the industry is poised for hiring as aging employees retire now that the economy is making a comeback.

Interns are invited to continue on with AFD after completing the three-to-five year program if they so choose. Van Boerum says the District gains greater continuity, while the community gains additional firefighting personnel.

Students interested in becoming an apprentice can email Chief Van Boerum, or call (520) 333-6940. 

Editor's Note: Since the apprentices' debut fire, Chief Van Boerum reports they've assisted in two other recent blazes:  

JTED Construction Technology alumna Jenna Poarch is the 2014 recipient of Habitat for Humanity's Jim Brodie Award, which honors the memory of the long-time Habitat staffer who supervised the organization's High School Build program.

As a three-year veteran of Roger Condra's construction class at Sahuarita High School, Jenna excelled in Habitat's High School Build program - a partnership first developed in Tucson and now replicated across the country. Students help build Habitat homes and gain experience in residential framing, plumbing, electrical wiring, and more. They also apply mathematical concepts to schematics, blueprints, and technical drawings.

"Jenna embraced this male-dominated field and made a path for herself," says Roger Condra, Sahuarita High School's Construction Technology instructor.

According to the Habitat website, students enrolled in this course outperform the general Tucson population on the AIMS test, and the graduation rate for seniors in the construction technology program has been 100% for the past 18 years. Officials attribute this to the integration of relevant academic material with hands-on engagement.

Moreover, Poarch's, and other students', construction program credits transfer to college credits at Pima Community College, where she'll attend this fall.

"Construction is always a possibility for me," she says about her future plans. "I like keeping my options open."

Options shouldn't be a problem for Poarch, given her hard work in high school. Previous to graduation, she was a SkillsUSA President, won second place at the SkillsUSA 2014 state competition in electrical residential wiring, and third place in 2013.

Two Vail Unified School District students attending Andrada Polytechnic High School have discovered a great way to advance their Bioscience careers.

Marisa Obregon and Morgan Gascho earned spots in the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy KEYS summer internship program, and their school's Bioscience Pathway program received a $5,000 grant from the Research Corporation for Science.

As interns, Obregon and Gascho work in bioscience laboratories at the UA. They are conducting authentic research and will present their findings at the annual poster session July 18, at UA's Thomas W. Keating Bioresearch Building.

"Marisa and Morgan are always motivated, always excel, and they love bioscience," says Kevin Kehl, JTED Bioscience instructor.

This year, the program received nearly 250 applicants, but accepted only 50.

As for the grant, educators are putting it toward adding animal cell culture to the curriculum. The funds pay for insect cell lines, media, and related equipment.

For more, go to AZ Education News Service.