Veterinary assisting class takes off at EHS

Grace Patterson, vet assisting teacher, reviews what the class learned over the week.

Sept. 4, 2025 By Max Fisher

As Veterinary Assisting enters its first year at Eisenhower High School, it is giving students a head start in their future veterinary careers.

In this class, students learn the responsibilities of a vet tech assistant, someone who helps in surgery or general pet care, as well as helping learn basic medical knowledge. Last year, the class was offered for the first time at Goddard High School.

“We didn’t have the space or the funding for the actual classroom last year,” Principal Todd Hague said. We had a couple of unfinished classrooms that were used for storm shelters and storage (yet) we were able to finish them over the summer.”

Juniors and seniors can take the class and earn college credit while still in high school. The class helps students who want to enter the vet tech program at Wichita State University, and students who pass the class at Eisenhower receive preferential admission when applying to the WSU program.

Grace Patterson, a teacher from WSU Tech, is in her first year of teaching the class.

“They can go straight from this class and into a clinic and get hired and do things, " Patterson said.  

Junior Riley Voegeli wants to expand her knowledge and to be a veterinarian in the future.

“It goes right back when I was younger,” Voegeli said. “I really loved seeing people do stuff, working on animals. I always wanted to be a veterinarian, and so when I saw the opportunity, I took it.”

She is making full use out of the college credit that the class provides in hopes to enter the vet programs at either Kansas State University or Oklahoma State University. She believes that the classes she takes in high school will help her get a jump on her career and give her the knowledge and experience to understand the profession. 

“I hope that by the end I have enough knowledge and enough practice and stuff just to show them that this is where I really want to be, this is what I’m into and I want to proceed (with) it,” Voegeli said. 

As the program grows, Patterson would like to see a second vet assisting class added to the curriculum. This current program allows students from other schools to attend EHS and earn credit that their school may not offer. 

Students in the class can participate in volunteer opportunities such as a field trip to the Kansas State Fair or participation in Kansas Humane Society vaccine clinics. Patterson hopes that as the class enrollment grows, so will the possibilities of additional experiences outside of the classroom. 

Senior Shayla Campos says her favorite activity was a project where the class researched about different dogs and their breeds. Students made small posters displaying pictures and characteristics of their different breeds. Once they were finished, they used the posters to decorate the walls of the classroom.

Patterson believes that not only is this a good class for students to receive a well rounded education, but it also helps students become better pet parents. 

“At minimum, even if they don’t pursue the field further, they are going to be able to take care of their own pet better.” Patterson said. 

Whether it’s at work or at home, the vet assisting class is hoping to expand the knowledge and precautions someone can take while caring and treating animals.