The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) — Jackson River Technical Center is helping students turn their interest in healthcare into real-world skills.
This summer, JRTC’s work received national recognition when health sciences teacher Johnell Cantrell and her former students, Tyra Rose and Haley Harmon, presented at the 2025 Anatomage Conference in Santa Clara, Calif., showcasing how JRTC prepares students for careers in healthcare.
At the conference, Cantrell talked about the benefits of student-led learning using the Anatomage Table, a high-tech 3D touchscreen that lets students explore the human body in precise detail. Users can rotate, zoom, and even “slice” virtual bodies to see organs, muscles, and bones up close, making anatomy lessons feel hands-on without touching a real cadaver.
Rose and Harmon, 2025 graduates of Alleghany High School and JRTC’s nurse aide program, co-presented, explaining how giving students more independence in learning helps them master skills faster and gain confidence for future healthcare careers. Their presentation, “Amplifying Anatomage Through Student-Led Activities,” was shared four times at the conference, giving educators from across the nation tips on how to utilize
an Anatomage Table in their classrooms.
JRTC’s nurse aide program combines hands-on experience with career-focused training. Under Cantrell’s guidance, student teams have even excelled in the National Anatomage Tournament, taking first and second in the state.
Rose is now studying pre-med at Bluefield College in Virginia, and Harmon is continuing her healthcare education at New River Community and Technical College in West Virginia. Rose and Harmon prove that JRTC’s CTE programs prepare students for success after graduation.
While many students don’t encounter opportunities for professional presentations until graduate school or their careers, JRTC stands out by preparing students to deliver professional-level presentations as early as high school, an achievement that is both rare and impactful.
JRTC exemplifies Alleghany Highlands Public Schools’ goal of preparing students and giving them the tools to thrive after graduation.
Follow Alleghany Highlands Public Schools on Facebook (@AHPublicSchools), Instagram (@ahpublicschools), and online at www.ahps.k12.va.us.
Tyra Rose (left) and Haley Harmon, 2025 graduates of Alleghany High School and
Jackson River Technical Center, demonstrate an Anatomage Table to the Allegany
Highlands School Board in December 2024, as board member Jonathan Arritt looks on
and students Kiera Lowman and Emma Linkenholer watch in the background. The
demonstration highlighted how JRTC prepares students for healthcare careers. (AHPS photo)
