By Steven Mayer
The Bakersfield Californian
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — It was only a few months ago that 22-year-old Kennedy Cruz was working hard as a biology major at Bakersfield College, and working at Starbucks as a barista.
“I used to make coffee all day,” she said. “I tried biology, but it didn’t really work for me at BC.
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“Then I went to a party and I met a Hall Ambulance employee and she was talking about what she does and I was like, you know what, that sounds better than what I’m doing right now. And I thought I should try it out.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Cruz, dressed in a crisp, blue Hall Ambulance uniform, became part of the 51st graduating class from Harvey L. Hall EMT Academy.
After 10 weeks of rigorous study, hands-on skills assessments and detailed coursework, Kern County’s 16 newest first responders, Kennedy included, walked the stage at their commencement ceremony at Lino’s Venue in downtown Bakersfield.
All 16 had passed the state exam on their first try, making them newly minted emergency medical technicians, commonly known as EMTs.
“This is definitely not an easy journey to be inside the EMT Academy. It takes a lot of time, a lot of dedication, and a lot of sacrifice,” academy instructor Coulton Goldade told the graduates and nearly 100 friends, family and Hall employees who attended Wednesday’s event.
Goldade said he could lecture all day, and he could tell his students how to be an EMT, how to do patient assessments, and maybe most importantly, how to treat patients with a combination of professional standards and human compassion.
“But at the end of the day,” he said, “if they don’t decide to go home and study, they don’t decide to sacrifice their evenings and their weekends with friends to learn the material, then what’s the point of me being here?
“So, congratulations to Academy 51,” he told the crowd. “Give them a round of applause.”
The academy works as a partnership with BC, and on Wednesday, Kern Community College District Chancellor Steven Bloomberg was there to celebrate this newest graduating class.
“My son is an EMT,” Bloomberg told the gathering, “so I have a very special connection to this job. I understand the sacrifice, I understand the hours, and it’s not a job for everyone — and I commend you, Class of 51, for stepping up to the challenge, and being willing to see people at their worst, and hopefully helping them to be their best.”
Each graduating class votes to choose their class leader, and Academy Class 51 chose colleague Stewart Garrison to represent them.
Another graduate, Naomi Orozco Luna, was honored in two categories, for scoring the highest on the final exam and for earning the highest overall grade point average.
And Blanca Blanco was recognized for maintaining the best uniform throughout the grueling term at the academy.
For Alejandra Cruz, the mother of student Kennedy Cruz, watching her daughter rise to the challenge day after day, week after week, filled her with admiration and pride in her daughter’s accomplishment.
“We’re extremely proud of her,” Mrs. Cruz said following Wednesday’s ceremony.
“I’m very proud that she’s serving our community, saving lives. It’s been a wonderful experience for the whole family.
“She’s actually the first in our family to be in this profession.”
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