On May 14, 2025, Melissa High School proudly hosted its second annual Health Science Pinning Ceremony at the MHS Student Union. This meaningful tradition honors students completing their educational pathway and marks their transition into the healthcare field. Rooted in long-standing medical customs, the pinning ceremony recognizes the dedication, perseverance, and professionalism of future health science professionals.
This year, 60 Melissa High School students were pinned as Certified Clinical Medical Assistants (CCMA), with ten of those students also earning the distinction of Certified Electrocardiogram Technicians (CET/EKG) after previously achieving their CCMA certification.
The CCMA program was led by Sarah Pennington, who guided students through rigorous coursework and skills development in preparation for the national certification exam. The exam consists of 180 questions administered over three hours, with a passing score of 390 out of 500.
In partnership with Collin College, the EKG program was taught by Professor Paige O’Connor, who also attended the ceremony to pin the 10 CET students. The CET certification process included in-depth didactic instruction, hands-on skills training, and clinical hours. The two-hour, 150-question exam also requires a passing score of 390 out of 500.
Beyond the classroom, the EKG students collaborated with Hallie Venner, the Melissa ISD Director of Health Services, to complete vital health-related screenings and tasks at campuses across the district on days their Collin College classes were not in session—gaining meaningful real-world experience while supporting their school community.
Melissa High School proudly recognized Tabitha Sandoval as the MHS Student of Excellence in the EKG program.
During the ceremony, Professor O’Connor also presented three Collin College Awards, each accompanied by a $500 scholarship, to the following students:
Academic Excellence (Top 5% overall grades): Tabitha Sandoval
Clinical Skills Excellence (Top 5% on practical exams): Isabel De La Cruz
Leadership Excellence (Student-nominated): Layan Alwazzan
Two students were honored as top scorers for their outstanding academic performance, including:
Ashley Asuma – CCMA
Tabitha Sandoval – EKG
Congratulations to all students recognized for their hard work, dedication, and academic achievement. A heartfelt thank you to Sarah Pennington, Professor Paige O’Connor, and Hallie Venner, and the entire Health Science team for their mentorship and support. Melissa ISD is incredibly proud of these students and looks forward to celebrating their continued success in the healthcare field.
Students recognized at the 2025 MHS Pinning Ceremony:
Dual Distinction (EKG & CCMA): Layan Alwazzan, Isabel De La Cruz, Isabela Howes, Charlemagne Marundan, Brogan Middleton, Paisley Needham, Glory Sadek, Tabitha Sandoval, Ellie Thompdon, Alexandra Waishwell
CCMA Pinning: Hikmah Adedamola Abdul-Hammed, Ashley Asuma, Tanush Avula, Sabbah Badruddin, Iris Barnes, Chloe Brand, Alexandra Brown, Hailey Burch, Emma Cannaday, Kimora Castleberry, Grayson Dalby, Callen Daves, Abigail Dimas, Lynli Dittfurth, Lucia Hernandez, Addison Hume, Landry Hutchins, Besan Jaber, Taylor Katz, Ailina Khoja-Akhmedova, Sheetal Kiran, Duura Kpea, Griffin Kurlinski, Alexis Loukota, Abigail Lynn, Lydia Machuma, Jeanette Morissaint, Lily Morris, Danya Muzeyne, Bhavya Nagi Reddy, Sameem Naved, Kay Ndanzia, Isabelle Nguyen, Iyana Nyakundi, Tatyana Nyoike, Logan Pfeil, Karmen Pittman, Dakota Poorman, Sushmitha Puvvula, Madison Rush, Royal Sabal, Kennedy Scott, Heaven Sierra, Avery Stinton, Hermela Taddesse, Jiya Thapa, Tessa Tighe, Madison Wallace, Kennedi Wright, Isabella Zayas-Bazan