Pharmacy technicians graduate
Published 7:11 pm Saturday, January 5, 2013
Twelve students received their pharmacy technician diplomas at a graduation ceremony Dec. 15 at Greater Sweet Beulah Church in Suffolk.
Dr. Lakesha Goode speaks during a graduation ceremony recently for 12 pharmacy technician students who studied under her tutelage at Medical Training of Virginia in Suffolk in the fall.
The students took 108 hours of in-class and online instruction under Dr. Lakesha Goode. The classes lasted for 14 weeks.
The training program used to be offered through the STOP Organization, but when funding was terminated, Goode offered the program herself, handling the administrative aspects as well as teaching. She also is a full-time pharmacist and has a husband and two small children.
Students came from Portsmouth, Suffolk, Boykins and Virginia Beach to attend the class, for which Goode rented the classroom and supplied the necessary items herself.
Goode even encouraged her students to bring their children if they couldn’t find a babysitter.
“Bring snacks, bring toys, bring the baby — just don’t miss class,” she told her students.
There were also a couple students who were grandmothers, as well as a mother and daughter taking the course together.
Five of the students have already taken their board examinations and passed.
The graduating students were:
- Karen Artis
- Brittany Brown
- Tikoya Williams (honors)
- Tonisha Dawson (honors)
- Monchelle Whitfield
- Vonqueshia Joyner (honors)
- LaKeshia Eley (salutatorian)
- Kim Bowden (valedictorian)
- Rebekah Faulkner (honors)
- Tina Wilkerson (honors)
- Chermia Williams (honors)
- Leslia Iacovazzi (honors)
Latoya Edmonds, a previous graduate from the Pharmacy Technician Training Program, sang a solo at the graduation ceremony. Dr. Michelle Harmon was the guest speaker. Katina Speight, also a past graduate of the program, gave the Invocation.
The class is being offered again beginning this month. Call 404-3251 for more information.
