|
|
||
Stafford school system hosts second annual career night Date published: 11/24/2009
BY JEFF BRANSCOME
About 200 Stafford County students attended the school system's second annual career night last week at Brooke Point High School. Each heard from three professionals of their choice during 25-minute sessions. Fifty people spoke about their trades, which included cosmetology, nursing, emer-gency services, performing arts, law, engineering, archaeology and culinary arts. Meanwhile, parents attended forums on career and technical education, technology skills and preparing their children to be independent. The event was sponsored by the division's department of career and technical education and was open to students in grades seven through 10. "They got to meet real people who talk about real things," said Ann Emerson, the division's school-to-career specialist. During one session, firefighter and emergency medical technician Ray Velasquez, who works in Caroline County and volunteers in Stafford, was asked about unusual calls. He mentioned an elderly lady who occasionally called 911 between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. because she was lonely. She became friends with some first responders, and they attended her birthday party, he said. She died two weeks later. "I think that goes to show a little bit about what we do that you would not normally think," he said. He also talked about the routine and gory aspects of the job, as well as the adrenaline rush of responding to an emergency. After his talk, Velasquez handed students membership applications for the Brooke Fire Safety Association in Stafford. Nicholas Starosta, an eighth-grader at Dixon-Smith Middle, said he came to the career fair wanting to pursue marine biology but is now interesting in becoming a firefighter or EMT. "It just kind of piqued my interest," he said after listening to Velasquez. Jeff Branscome: 540/374-5402
I just wish the school system would have done a better job of advertizing this event. Leaaving it up to the kids to tell their parents is not exactly trustworthy means of communication. I'd have gone with my son if I had known about it. Teens can't be expected to bring home the message. Come on, we were all kids once, we know their minds are not on anything other than video games and girls and to them, the future is the next 5 minutes...
|
|
|||||||||||||
