Minutes before heading to class, three Bastrop ISD sophomores stopped to discuss the Pharmacy Technician program in which they are enrolled. Between college coursework, studying and a packed high school schedule, they are already balancing responsibilities many students won’t face until years later.
For Hailey Juarez, that challenge is part of the appeal.
“I wanted to work in the medical field, and because the PTECH program prompted us for a job straight out of high school, I figured it would help me go further,” Juarez said.
Juarez is one of approximately 75 students enrolled in Bastrop ISD’s PTECH program, a four-year pathway that begins in freshman year and allows students to gain hands-on experience and graduate high school prepared to enter the workforce or continue their education.
A commitment with real outcomes
Students must join the program before entering ninth grade. From there, they move through a tightly structured, cohort-based experience that blends high school coursework with college classes through Austin Community College.
Students begin taking college courses in their sophomore year, progressing toward a Level One Pharmacy Technician certification by graduation.
The program helps remove barriers, particularly for students who are the first in their families to attend college.
“Our goal for the PTECH program is to bring in students who are at risk or will potentially be first-gen college students,” said Raina Ellis, Bastrop ISD’s Director of College, Career and Military Readiness. “The ultimate goal of the program is to graduate them so they can walk into and be employed by a pharmacy.”
This year marks a major milestone: Bastrop ISD is graduating its first senior PTECH cohort. Those students are currently completing internships at pharmacies throughout the community, gaining real-world experience in professional health care settings.
Years in the making
While this is the program’s first graduating class, the work behind it stretches back much further.
“Seven years ago, there was a dream and an idea, and here we are today,” Ellis said. “We’re about to graduate our first cohort of seniors.”
Developing the program required years of planning, grant applications and coordination with partners.
“For our Pharmacy Tech program, specifically, we are in partnership with Ascension Seton and ACC. ACC goes out to find our students’ internships. It really takes all three of us to make this work.”
Learning in a real-world setting
One feature that sets the program apart is its on-campus pharmacy technician lab. Many similar programs rely on lab space at a community college partner, but Bastrop ISD’s lab is housed directly on the Bastrop High School campus. District leaders said this approach is rare statewide.
The lab is currently working toward accreditation, with hopes of completing the process this semester.
Nathan Mouser, Bastrop ISD’s PTECH and College and Career Readiness School Models Coordinator, said the students’ maturity levels have grown immensely through the program.
“These students have to be ready for the workforce,” Mouser said. “We cannot put students that aren’t ready into the workforce because they’ll be working at a pharmacy.”
Class sizes are intentionally small, allowing students to work closely with professors and instructors. Additionally, the academic material helps students build time management skills and confidence as they move through increasingly challenging coursework.
Students are already looking ahead
The program is changing how many students view both college and their future careers.
Sophomore Kaylyn Macedo Perez said the exposure to professionals in the field has helped her think about what is possible.
“We’re being introduced to other pharmacists and people who have gone through this experience,” Macedo Perez said. “It has inspired me to reconsider pharmacy as a career.”
Nayeli Jaramillo said the cohort model has also made a difference. It has created a close-knit group that supports one another through difficult material.
“It’s a difficult class, and having someone to relate to and study with is a good opportunity,” Jaramillo said. “Everything we’re going to be able to do in our senior year—that’s something I’m really looking forward to.”
Students also point to the financial benefits of entering the workforce sooner.
“It’s a great way to save money,” Jaramillo said. “I feel like it’s something that all incoming freshmen should look into if they’re interested in the health care field.”
For Jaramillo, Juarez and Macedo Perez, a future in the health care field feels attainable, and their path ahead is already taking shape.
“Our ultimate goal is to ensure that we are graduating students who can go out and be successful employees,” Ellis said.
Click here to learn more about Bastrop ISD’s PTECH program today.
The above story was produced by Multi-Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.