Sterilization certification course offered thanks to grants

Sterilization certification course offered thanks to grants
Pottstown students taking course, eligible for exam and hospital hiring

Six Pottstown High School students are taking a free course to become a certified sterile processing technician. From left are four of them: Faith Jones, Annasophia Chhern, Emily Villegas and Isabella Wright. Missing from the picture are Arian Tinson and Ariana Phillips. (Image courtesy of Foundation for Pottstown Education)
By MediaNews Group
UPDATED: July 24, 2025 at 6:41 AM EDT
POTTSTOWN — A certification course in a sterile processing technician program is now being offered to the community, including several students from the Pottstown School District, thanks to a collaborative initiative between local education, healthcare leaders and local foundations.
The program was developed through a partnership between the Pottstown Hospital — Tower Health, Montgomery County Community College, and the Pottstown High School Career and Technology Education Program. The funding for the Pottstown students is provided through a grant from the Justamere Foundation and the Pottstown Hospital Community Engagement Department and secured by the Foundation for Pottstown Education.
It aims to prepare students for careers in the high-demand field of sterile processing and surgical services. Combining comprehensive classroom instruction with hands-on clinical training, the program is designed to equip students with the specialized skills needed for sterile processing roles inhospital and surgical settings.
“This important new program offers a clear, accessible pathway to a rewarding healthcare career, while also supporting our community health and workforce needs,” said Rosann Bar, Dean of Academic Innovation at Montgomery County Community College.
Participants will gain expertise in sterilization processing techniques, decontamination procedures, processing of reusable instrumentation and aseptic techniques. Upon successful completion, students will be eligible to take the Certified Registered Central Service Technician exam, a nationally recognized credential offered by Healthcare Sterile Processing Association.
Once the course and exam are successfully completed, students age 18 and older are eligible to be hired at the hospital.
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“Pottstown has a willing and cooperative hospital with which to train young people for a career in medicine. The benefit of Pottstown High School, Montgomery County Community College — Pottstown Campus, and Pottstown Hospital working together on this project are enormous,” said Myra Forrest chair of the Pottstown Hospital Tower Health Board of Trustees.
Funded by a grant from the Justamere Foundation and the Pottstown Hospital Community Engagement Department, the program will provide high school students with hands-on training and certification opportunities, setting them on a path toward immediate employment or further post-secondary education in healthcare.
“Certification programs like this one can make a huge impact on a student’s lifetime earning ability. Justamere Foundation is happy to work with The Foundation for Pottstown Education to target the most effective programs with the highest potential for long term prosperity,” Lori Cushman, President, Justamere Foundation, said in a press release.
“This partnership represents a tremendous opportunity to bridge the gap between education and workforce development,” said Joseph Rusiewicz, Executive Director of the Foundation for Pottstown Education. “It provides our students with a head start on a meaningful, well-paying career and  aflects the power of collaboration between schools, community colleges, healthcare providers and local foundations.”