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Committee approves moving forward with EMS major and retooled digital art and animation major at AAST
Summary
Horry County Schools will forward to the full board requests to add an Emergency Medical Services major and to replace the web/digital communications major with Digital Art and Design with Animation at the Academy for Arts, Science and Technology (AAST). Both items were presented as having no startup cost and a maximum enrollment of 30 students.
The Curriculum and Instruction Committee voted to forward two career and technical education proposals from the Academy for Arts, Science and Technology (AAST) to the full board: a new Emergency Medical Services major and a retooled Digital Art and Design with Animation major to replace the existing web and digital communications major.
April Scott told the committee the EMS major would credential students with OSHA-10, CPR, National Registry EMT and EMT certifications, include a 40-hour internship and require no startup costs because the teacher, equipment and course materials are already in place at AAST. The district plans to recruit up to 30 students for the program and to phase in cohorts beginning in 2026–27.
"There will be no startup cost for adding this major to AST because the required courses are already available ... the teacher is a certified paramedic, EMT instructor, and registered nurse," April Scott said.
The committee also approved a proposal to rename and refocus an existing major at AAST: the web and digital communications major would be phased out and replaced by Digital Art and Design with Animation to better match industry demand. District staff said the current instructor holds Adobe certification and the classroom already has the necessary equipment; the proposal carries no startup costs and would also recruit up to 30 students.
Why it matters: Both proposals expand career and technical offerings that district leaders said align to local workforce needs and provide certifications and internship experiences intended to connect students to jobs or postsecondary pathways.
Implementation details the committee received: EMS students would take medical terminology and EMT courses as juniors and seniors, complete clinical internships and obtain multiple certifications. The digital arts major would shift course content from web-only work toward broader digital art and animation skills, with Adobe and optional industry certifications.
Committee member Wendy Hodges moved to forward both proposals; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. Superintendent and board-level approvals will be required for final adoption and scheduling; staff said recruitment and application processes for AAST majors will proceed in the 2025–26 school year for fall 2026 cohort starts.
Questions from committee members addressed career connections, apprenticeship opportunities and whether current students in the existing web program could finish their certifications during the transition. Staff said they will provide a transition plan to allow current students to complete the prior program while new cohorts begin the retooled major.
