One-of-a-kind veterinary science program offered at local high school

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C (WCIV) — It’s the only curriculum of its kind in the state, and it’s available to high school students right here in the Lowcountry.

Veterinary science classes are part of the Career Technology Education program at Lucy Beckham.

When you walk in, you notice Pablo, the dog wandering around, and a student snuggling a puppy. It’s not your average high school classroom.

“It’s so amazing,” said Isabella Hurd, a Lucy Beckham High School senior. “I have learned a whole lot and experienced a lot of animals coming in here.”

Everything from different dog and cat breeds to the anatomy of different animals to more recently, a zombie apocalypse project as part of their agricultural unit.

“It’s a cool way to let these kids dig in the dirt and think about how to survive if something funky happened in the world because we are very reliant on our technology and electronics,” said Alex McCarrell, Veterinary Science Teacher at Lucy Beckham High School.

It's a curriculum that Alex McCarrell created, combining her love of teaching and animals. It includes lots of hands-on experience with rescue animals like Bonnie, who recently had six puppies.

“Once the puppies are old enough, they go home with students on the weekends, and they foster them for the weekend and work on potty training,” said McCarrell.

The ultimate goal is to get all the puppies adopted. Bonnie, who is bonded with Clyde, will hopefully find a home together. The class has successfully found many previous fosters in their forever home.

“We foster a lot in here, so we pull from surrounding shelters that are overrun and that need help, and we always get sick, pitiful things in here and nurse them back to health, so they see the sheltered side of stuff a lot, but they aren’t seeing the day to day,” said McCarrell.

That’s where vets like Dr. Epstein come in, offering the fourth class in the program, which is an internship.

“Nobody gets into veterinary medicine for the money,” said Steven Epstein, who is the owner of The Animal Medical Center. “It has to be a passion and something you truly care about, and it’s hard, it’s very emotional, and we deal with puppies and kittens all day, but we also deal with a lot of heartaches and that’s something important for students that think they want to get involved to see now.”

Isabella gets to see all of it firsthand at Animal Medical Center.

“I have learned a whole lot of what really goes on there,” said Hurd. “I have been able to watch people draw blood and give doses of a medicine...it’s so exciting.”

It’s so exciting for the students and McCarrell who is thrilled that she is teaching the kids more than just veterinary science.

“It teaches them how to be kind to animals but also to each other,” said McCarrell.

A successful program for all...for the kids and the animals.

There are currently ten students in internships right now. McCarrell says she hopes the program will continue to grow every year.

McCarrell also works with the Lakeside Rescue, which is where most of the classroom fosters come from. The program has already helped more than 90 animals find their forever home.

Both kittens, Courage and Eustace, currently live at the school and are up for adoption. Bonnie and Clyde, a bonded pair of adult dogs, will soon be up for adoption along with their six puppies.