As of 2019, the Career Technical Education department added a new EMT class to the available electives for seniors. Students interested in the class pay $700 at the beginning of the year, $600 goes to tuition and $100 pays for their uniform. The Decatur Fire Department comes in to teach the course, which allows participants to better comprehend the necessary work and dedication for the paramedic route. 

After finishing her basic training through the class, senior Hallie Crabtree plans to take the course and apply it to her future goals after high school. 

“I want to become a paramedic or a flight medic in the air force,” Crabtree said. “The medicine route or military has been on my mind since I was a kid, and when the opportunity arose, I took advantage of it.”

Although its main focus teaches students the basics of emergency medicine, life lessons also stem from the class. 

“I’m hoping to become a better person overall and develop a better understanding of myself through the class,” Crabtree said. 

Whether people look to better themselves or find new job opportunities, change stirs different emotions for everyone. 

“I am very happy Decatur is offering these opportunities,” Crabtree said. “There are a lot of people who need it to help them find out what they want to do in the future.”