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Michael Ventura, now the principal of Palm Springs High School in California, always harbored a dream of training his successor as the certified Athletic Trainer for the school.
His dream has now come true with the return of Andrea Zavala, a 2017 Palm Springs graduate from the healthcare and medicine-focused California Partnership Academy, to fill the role once held by Ventura.
Ventura's journey in developing the program began in 2003 when he joined Palm Springs High School. By 2005, he was a regional occupation program teacher, teaching fundamental athletic training skills like ankle taping and injury icing.
In 2009, the school secured funding for a California Partnership Academy, expanding its healthcare and medicine academic offerings. This program embedded health and medicine concepts into various subjects from sophomore to senior years, preparing students for careers in healthcare.
One of those students was Zavala, who entered the academy as a sophomore.
Initially uncertain about her career path, Zavala's interest in healthcare, inspired by her family members in the nursing field, drew her to the program.
As part of the academy, she learned basic athletic training skills, anatomy, medical terminology, and even completed an emergency medical responder course from the American Red Cross.
Despite studying biology at UC Riverside initially, Zavala's path led her to transfer to Cal Baptist to study kinesiology, eventually returning to her passion for athletic training after realizing her true calling.
After completing her undergraduate and master's degrees, she became a certified Athletic Trainer.
As Palm Springs High School's head AT, Zavala oversees more than 200 athletes and guides over 80 students in the academy.
She emphasizes not only the physical but also the emotional well-being of athletes, reflecting her focus on mental health during her graduate studies.
Zavala believes in connecting with her patients on a deeper level, particularly during rehabilitation or recovery from injuries.
Ventura expressed pride in Zavala, the first graduate of the academy to return to Palm Springs High School, highlighting the impact she's had on the athletic training program.
He mentioned that while other graduates could have returned, they chose to start their own programs, spreading their knowledge and expertise in the field.
For Zavala, being a graduate of the academy and now the head of her own athletic training program, she sees herself as a role model for her students.
Her intimate knowledge of the academy's curriculum allows her to set high expectations and ensure her students receive the best training possible, continuing the legacy of success at Palm Springs High School.
