Harlingen CISD Firefighter Academy Sparks Real World Career Pathways

Gavin Price keeps the childhood photograph that seems to be peeking into his future. Dressed in oversized gear borrowed from a “real” firefighter, a smiling young Price poses in front of a fire truck in Harlingen, Texas.

Today, 22‑year‑old Price is the proud firefighter responding to fires, assisting at accident scenes, aiding people with medical emergencies, and more. And when he’s in the bay cleaning equipment at a Harlingen Fire Department station, children occasionally wander in wanting to get a selfie with a real firefighter. 

“It’s definitely a full‑circle moment from when I was a kid,” Price said. “I really like what I do. I like to help people.”

Price started chasing his dream job a few years ago at an unexpected place — Harlingen High School South, where he went through the Firefighter Academy. It’s one of a dozen career and technical training academies created by the South Texas district for students interested in getting a head start on a career before graduating.

Harlingen CISD and districts across Texas understand that public schools are an essential component of the Texas workforce pipeline and that it’s their mission to prepare students for bright futures. 

“At HCISD, we believe that talent is universal, but opportunity is not,” said Dr. Nolan Perez, the district’s school board president. “Our Firefighter Academy is one of the ways we bridge that gap for students.

“When we create programs that open real doors to service and high‑skill careers, we show our young people that their future is not limited by circumstance but expanded by opportunity,” Perez said. “Our board is incredibly proud of the students and partners who make this academy a model for what public education can be.” 

Fueling the Workforce Pipeline

Nearly a decade ago, Harlingen CISD leaders restructured existing CTE programs to support a comprehensive four‑year vocational graduation plan that included work‑based learning placements and dual enrollment opportunities, said Nelda Alonzo, director of the district’s CTE Department. Twelve academies were developed in response to Cameron County’s workforce demands and student interest survey data. 

The academies include a total of 32 programs of study, giving students opportunities in engineering, welding, culinary arts, cosmetology, health science, business, the arts, and more. Each academy provides a structured pathway with hands‑on learning, dual credit, certifications, and work‑based experiences. Teachers connect students with business professionals and experts in each of the fields of study. This means students get real‑world experiences, career training, and certification opportunities. 

For Madison Garcia, a junior at Harlingen High School, the academy offers her a chance to become part of a family tradition. 

“This has been my goal. Being here has been my dream ever since my dad has been in the workforce; that’s all I knew — just firefighting,” Garcia said. Her mother also works in the industry as well as others in her extended family. 

Garcia believes it’s beneficial, both physically and mentally, for her and other students to be able to start firefighting training at a younger age, rather than having to wait until after graduation or later. 

“I think it’s amazing that HCISD has this program. It gives us so much knowledge at our age,” she said. “I believe it’s better for us — and the Harlingen Fire Department.” 

Garcia said she learns in the classroom, the field, from teachers, and even older students as she watches and studies what they are doing. “It’s just honestly really cool.” 

Expanding, Improving To Meet Needs

Since it was first opened in 2017, the Firefighter Academy has grown into a full First Responders Academy that includes fire, EMT, and law enforcement pathways. The program “stands out as an example of what makes HCISD CTE strong — deep community partnerships, alignment to labor market needs, and meaningful choices for students,” Alonzo said. “It truly demonstrates our commitment to preparing every student for college, career, or industry training with purpose and confidence.” 

Harlingen CISD, which serves 16,200 students, has extended these CTE programs through partnerships with surrounding school districts that are smaller and don’t have facilities for this specialized training. Students from La Feria ISD, which has 2,882 students, and Lyford CISD, which has about 1,440 students, travel to Harlingen to participate in the academies. Alonzo hopes the program will add partnerships with other neighboring districts so that even more students can be served. 

Additionally, the academy has moved from a high school campus environment to a dedicated training facility where students have access to realistic training opportunities. They fight fires! 

“Public safety is a high‑demand field in our region, and this academy gives students authentic training environments, industry‑level equipment, and direct mentorship from Harlingen fire, EMS, and law enforcement professionals,” Alonzo said. “More broadly, it strengthens our full CTE ecosystem.” 

The quality of student training has been bolstered through such additions as the purchase of a fully equipped ambulance for EMT training. A grant from the Jobs & Education for Texans Grant Program allowed the district to build a burn center that’s located at the City of Harlingen’s fire department administration building. 

Alonzo said the academy has maintained its state designation as an approved fire training center.

“This demonstrates HCISD’s commitment to high standards, strong partnerships, and preparing students for real careers in public safety,” she said. 

Firefighters Teaching Students

A key component of the academy is the chance for students to learn directly from local firefighters. Kristopher Armstrong, a Harlingen Fire Department captain who has overseen the academy for about five years, said this partnership also allows the fire department to share its equipment and other items to operate the academy. Instructors are Harlingen firefighters who teach at the academy on their days off. 

“The training the HCISD students receive is the exact same as any firefighter in the state of Texas receives,” Armstrong said, adding that the program follows guidelines from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, which certifies firefighters in Texas. 

“I think the program gives students an opportunity to explore a career that they are interested in; it gives them a lot of options for right out of school,” said Armstrong, who has been with the Harlingen Fire Department for about 25 years. “The completion of the academy also gives students a sense of accomplishment, whether they choose to continue in this field or go off to other ventures.” 

The program has had a real‑world impact on students and the community. So far, the academy has trained about 60 students, five of whom immediately got jobs after completing the Firefighter Academy. 

Price loved attending the academy and how it prepared him for a career — the intense training, the opportunities to learn from those already in the field, and the chance to form friendships with fellow students as well as the teachers. 

“You get real close with your buddies,” he said. “The guys in my class, I work with some of them now. They’re real good people.” 

In addition to direct firefighting skills, Price said he learned about the equipment on a fire truck, search‑and‑rescue skills, vehicle extraction, and CPR. They also practiced how to get ready to go on a call — fast. It’s called bunkering up, which means getting your gear on effectively in less than two minutes. “We got a lot of practice on that,” he noted. 

After graduation, Price attended Texas State University, earning an associate degree in fire science. He briefly went to work for the San Juan Fire Department before joining the Harlingen Fire Department in February 2025, where he went through the department’s academy and earned his EMT certification. 

At Harlingen, he reunited with some of his teachers back in high school. “A lot of these guys, we work with now. It’s super nice.” 

In less than a year, Price has worked on a variety of calls, including structure fires, brush fires, gas smells, motor vehicle accidents, and medical emergencies. Price also enjoys the camaraderie and the welcoming response from the community. 

“This is what I came here for,” he said. “It’s a role I’m proud to serve in my community. It’s the most rewarding thing ever. I’m so grateful.”

Banner Image: Getting real-world training on fighting fires is a key component of Harlingen CISD’s Firefighter Academy.

This issue first appeared in the Feb/Mar 2026 issue of Texas Lone Star.