NEWS

Pilgrim's lifesaver pathway an instant success

By ALEX MALM
Posted 12/16/21

Six years ago Pilgrim High School physical education teacher Lisa Tamburini said she needed a new challenge. 

With years of experience as an American Red Cross instructor she decided to start …

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NEWS

Pilgrim's lifesaver pathway an instant success

Posted

Six years ago Pilgrim High School physical education teacher Lisa Tamburini said she needed a new challenge. 

With years of experience as an American Red Cross instructor she decided to start a life saving course.

Tamburini said that the class became instantly popular and eventually she decided to create a lifesaver 2 course. 

She eventually found herself teaching the courses full-time and decided to see if it could become a pathway program. 

After a lot of time and meetings to discuss it Tamburini said that it was officially approved as a pathway program for this year. 

“I just took it to the right people,” she said. 

This year 12 students are expected to graduate from Pilgrim with a lifesaver pathway endorsement on their diplomas. 

“Pathways are programs that embody deep learning in a chosen area of academic study to prepare students for employment or further education in a career or industry area,” Pilgrim’s website read. 

The pathways program across the state began for the Class of 2021. In addition to lifesaver the school offers pathways in biotechnology, performing arts: chorale or band, visual arts, and Studio 107. 

Last year 15 students graduated from the Studio 107 program and seven graduated from the Biotechnology program. 

Pilgrim Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning Dr. Cheri Guerra described the pathways like a minor in college saying that once students complete the required classes and a capstone senior project related to the pathway they are in they receive an endorsement on their diploma from the Rhode Island Department of Education 

For the lifesaver pathway it consists of three skills based classes, Lifesaver 1,2 and 3 along with an academic course in anatomy and physiology. 

Because the lifesaver courses are hands-on, Tamburini  said that when they were in remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was challenging for students and her but they were able to overcome it.

Tamburini said made videos of herself performing the different skills at home and then would post it for the students to watch.

She also spent time coming up with different at home items students could use to practice their skills. 

One example was for CPR, when Tamburini said that students should stack their pillows instead of using a mannequin which was at school. 

“It was a lot of creativity,” Tamburini said. 

Olivia Monte said that she put that she is part of the lifesaver pathway on her Common Application for college and said that the colleges she applied to have been “blown away,” by the fact that the high school offers it. 

“Most of us want to go into the medical field so it's a big booster especially when applying for college,” Monte said. 

Tamburini said that students earn certificates from the Red Cross when they complete courses and are able to use their different skills they learned in their college courses or in their careers.

In addition to the courses Tamburini there’s a lifesaver club. She said that aside from the skills students learn, the program is important because it gives students a sense of belonging. The class has been nicknamed the “Tam Fam.”

“The community building is really awesome,” Guerra said. 

Guerra said that right now the lifesaver pathway is the most popular one at Pilgrim and they expect the numbers to grow each year. 

“It's a great program, it's become very popular,” Tamburini said.

lifesaving, Pilgrim

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