Vinal CJPS has been working behind the scenes for years now to get our students college credit for the material they are learning. This was finally made a reality with the help of Dr. Julie Schnobrich-Davis and the Central Connecticut State University Criminology Department staff. Thanks to their efforts, grant applications, and even hospitality, all CJPS students now earn three credits for Introduction to Criminal Justice and have all fees and tuition waived by the University. This is an excellent addition to the program and we cannot thank them enough. They have even been so generous as to let us use their classrooms for some of our advanced EMT courses. Awesome!

Joining the CJPS family can be overwhelming! There is a lot to learn and a lot to see the first year. Our Class of 2026 is already doing amazing. They started their first of many experiences this past cycle by touring the Connecticut Fire Academy with a tour by our shop friend Instructor Zygmunt who showed them what it takes to become a firefighter in Connecticut. They then visited the New Britain Superior Court where they met the Honorable Judge Keegan along with the Assistant State's Attorney and head of the Public Defender's office. The students then watched an hour of the morning's arraignments and court functions in a fascinating look into the courtroom procedure and laws they are currently learning about!

Vinal decided to have a little fun and host a "Club Day" where students could go let loose for a few hours. Mr. C and Mr. L created "Apocalypse Club" which focuses on preparing for the end of the world... sort of ;) Here's how the first day went!

When the apocalypse comes, the first thing you'll do is collect as much canned food as possible... but did you remember a can opener?! No!?! Guess you'll be opening your can with a rock!

Wood and sticks is all you'll have after awhile... can you make fire?! Not easy! With an infrared thermometer, the winner was Aaron with 108 degrees after 60 seconds.

After failing horribly to make fire, about a dozen people volunteers to eat RAW SARDINES! Was not a pleasant experience!

Realizing the need for food, the apocalypse team attempted to pop balloons with Nerf darts from a distance. There was a small consequence however... if the students popped the balloon, they got to PIE Mr. C or Mr. L in the face. If they didn't, we got to pie THEM in the face. Teachers 3, Students 0.

 What a fun cycle! We welcomed our new freshman class into the shop with some fun getting-to-know-you activities, career exploration, and scene safety activities which included building a model city for scene response practice! In the meantime, the seniors have been cranking away at the very challenging EMT curriculum with amazing success. Only 1/3 of the way through the class and we already have many students passing the National Registry practical skills stations! We had some fun with lifting and moving; including a stair chair collapse which ended up very funny. Also had a surprise visit from a hedgehog?!?

Thanks to some friends at FEMA and HHS, CJPS was afforded an amazing opportunity to visit the Region 1 Response Coordination Center (RRCC) and actually get a tour of the command bunker deep underground! The students learned about the operation of the center, met some people who work there, and learned how to pursue jobs within the field. Staff was impressed with the students level of knowledge, certifications they already possess, and the questions they asked. It was a super fun trip that we hope to make an annual experience!

As part of their Emergency Medical Technician course, the juniors took the American Heart Association's Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers course. The students are about a quarter of the way through their EMT course at this point and doing an absolutely amazing job. We have never seen so many note cards, students re-writing their notes, and studying in our time at Vinal! We are excited to turn out a huge batch of EMTs this Spring!

As part of the EMT program, students are exposed to lots of different career possibilities. A HUGE thank you to Lifestar for coming to visit the students and talk about their jobs and the experiences they have had. This comes as the juniors and seniors are both taking the EMT program at the same time. Amazing crew, amazing experience, and a beautiful (cold) day!

The sophomores earned their Hazardous Materials Awareness certification during cycle 5 thanks to the help of Charlie's Water Wagon which made the training super fun and realistic! The juniors, who are in their EMT class, assisted with vital signs before and after each group of students. Lots of fun, laughs, and learning. Solving a pre-schooler's puzzle isn't as easy as it seems with three pairs of gloves, a chemical hood, and a simulated chemical leak!

CJPS had the opportunity to help out a bunch of agencies for a very unique training in a Connecticut mall. We asked for "a few volunteers" and got 32 of our 51 students!!! Very fun night that lasted until past midnight. We have a GREAT shop family.