Photo by John Rudd Grantsville Elementary School students sit with Melvin the Monkey at the Fifth-Grade Career Day in the Performing Arts Center at Garrett College last Friday. Melvin was representing Wyatt Wilkens, a Grantsville Elementary student who is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia.
There were about 240 more students than usual on Garrett College’s McHenry campus last Friday.
And they were a bit younger than the average college student – actually, quite a bit younger. That’s because the College and Garrett County Public Schools were partnering on Fifth-Grade Career Day, offering the students a glimpse of what their futures might hold.
“What we’re trying to do is broaden their horizons,” said Jon Hinebaugh, GCPS career coach for the northern end of the county. “We’re focusing on careers that are locally available as well as those intangible ‘soft skills’ that all employers are seeking.”
Participants were able to choose sessions covering nearly two dozen career fields. Computer science/cyber security, engineering, nursing, paramedic, culinary, police, fire fighting, the military, carpentry, personal training, and farming were just some of the careers covered by instructors actually working in those fields.
“It takes a lot of planning and a lot of help from our community partners to develop Fifth-Grade Career Day,” said Mary Keller, GCPS career coach for the southern end of the county.
Hinebaugh praised the support GCPS received from the College in hosting Career Day.
“The assistance we’ve received from Chantel [Lowdermilk] and Susan [Rexroad] has been so valuable,” said Hinebaugh, referring to the College’s events staff. “We’re working with real pros.”
Lowdermilk, the College’s events coordinator, said the event provided “a huge opportunity for fifth-graders to have a college experience at such a young age.”
“Our hope is to make this a positive experience they will remember, and hopefully have them return in the future as Garrett College students,” added Lowdermilk.
