What do you want to do when you grow up?

There are plenty of grown ups who still ask themselves that question, thanks — at least in part — to a blissful, worry-free lack of foresight when they were younger.

But the 350 or so students at Baileyton’s Parkside Elementary School are getting an early peek at the amazing diversity of career options from which they’ll one day be able to choose.

“The idea is to show them that they can do just about anything,” said Baileyton resident Jo Withey, one of the volunteers who helped organized Thursday’s Career Day event at the school.

Held on the school’s front lawn, Parkside’s Career Day featured nearly two dozen booths and hands-on displays manned by professionals working in areas ranging from farming to commercial truck driving to mechanical engineering.

Guidance Counselor Kim Crumbley said the event dovetails with a year-long, school-wide project that engages students from grades 1-8 in learning about community, social skills and careers.

“Throughout the school, our kids are put in ‘houses’ or teams, and there are seven of those, and they all have mentors,” she explained. “Every month, we learn something new as we go through the school year. This month was our career month, so we wanted them to learn something that they could actually touch and see.”

“Not everybody needs to go to college, but everybody does need to find employment,” Withey added. “The goal of Career Day is to show these children just how many different options are available to them, and to get them thinking about all the different opportunities that are out there.”

On Thursday, opportunities abounded. Pro Fisherman Gerald Swindle was there. Honda Motor Co. was there. So were Rehau and the U.S. Army. There were race car drivers, farmers, commercial truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, and many more.

Parkside Principal Richard Orr said this year’s Career Day, the first-ever for the K-8 school, is likely to become an annual tradition. “It was definitely a success, and I just can’t say enough about the volunteers from our community who helped put this together,” said Orr.

“Part of the idea behind it, too, is to create a sense of community within the school, and I think we’ve definitely accomplished that.”

 

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 145.