Classrooms throughout our district were filled with excited students engaged in learning about different careers on Thursday, March 21.
At Mount Gallant Elementary, Kindergarten through first-grade students explored careers intertwined with vehicles, touring the bus lot and engaging with local professionals. For third through fifth graders, community members shed light on their respective fields, emphasizing the importance of career awareness and self-discovery.
Meanwhile, at Rawlinson Road Middle School, the gym transformed into a career fair full of professionals.
Carol Bennet, guidance counselor at Mount Gallant Elementary, spearheaded the initiative for her school. "Our goal was to ignite curiosity and inspire our students," she said. We aimed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the real world, fostering a sense of self-awareness and career exploration."
The professionals at Mount Gallant Elementary showcased for third through fifth graders included a pediatrician, a cosmetologist, a graphic designer, and the ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ Hill Police Department K-9 Officers ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵy and Reba. Outside Mount Gallant stood a bucket truck from Comporium, City of ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ Hill stormwater and sweeper trucks, and the ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ Hill Police Department Bomb and Forensics team. Students were eager to ask questions and learn with hands-on activities like finding their fingerprints on a truck with the forensics squad and seeing a tactical robot in action.
As Rawlinson Road hosted its annual Career Fair, excitement filled the air. With various professionals eager to engage with students, this event offered a firsthand glimpse into 19 career paths, from entrepreneurship to law and paper manufacturing.
"As a school counselor, one of the highlights is exposing the students to what their futures can be," said Adrienne Cunningham, Rawlinson Road Middle School Guidance Counselor. “It's one thing to talk about the careers out there, but it is exciting to allow them to speak with people in those careers.”
The excitement didn't end there. Students who actively participated had the chance to enter into a drawing for an enticing prize, adding an extra layer of motivation to the mix.
Cunningham shared some students left saying, "Oooh, I want to do that!"
Events like Career Day provide opportunities for our students to gain career and self-awareness as early as elementary school and promote life and career characteristics aligned with the Profile of the South Carolina graduate. We appreciate the community partners who participated in Career Day and helped provide our students with this additional opportunity to pursue their hopes and dreams.
Head over to our to see the photos from the Career Day.