KAILUA-KONA — Whether they want to take to the skies in a helicopter, join the ranks of the fire department or help heal the sick, students at Kealakehe Elementary School last week got the opportunity to explore the breadth of careers available in their community.
With tables set up not far from the Career Day offering present job opportunities for students’ parents and families, part of the goal for the day was to create a seamless connection between the school campus and the community in which it’s located.
“Whatever is happening inside our school is reflected outside our school, and whatever is happening outside of our school is reflected inside our school,” said Pohai Kirkland, the school’s parent community network coordinator.
“So we’re not separate.”
The school’s Career Day hosted more than 20 presenters for students, putting on display opportunities in everything from medicine to business to recreation and other local industries.
Koamalu Dehmer, 9, said he was excited about learning more about becoming a park ranger during the event.
“I think they show cool national parks,” he said. “And they’re all around the world.”
Sandra Mayberry, a gifted-and-talented teacher at the school, said it’s important to get kids exposed to careers, start thinking about their passions and interests and what jobs are out there that might align with those.
“I hope that it opens up their eyes to see that there is quite a few different jobs out there,” said Mayberry.
Throughout the event, about 345 students meandered throughout the school’s cafeteria stopping at tables and interviewing the community’s professionals.
And for the island’s residents who came to share their stories and businesses with students, the event was an important one in which to participate.
Chris Grossi, who was representing Body Glove Hawaii along with Margie Park, said it’s important for them to let kids know about the fun careers that are out there and get them excited about the prospects that await them after school.
“I think it’s super important
to let kids know that they don’t have to grow up to be president of the United States, to be an astronaut, to be a firefighter, which I think a lot of kids have these concepts of what they want to do, when really when we were in fourth, fifth and sixth grade, we didn’t know what we wanted to do,” said Grossi.
