Career Discover Day Sparks Interest in Greenfield Exempted Village Fifth Graders

‍Written By: Kaitlin Streator, BB2C Communications & Engagement Coordinator

Students, teachers, and business/ community members who participated in the career discover day pose for a group photo outside of McClain High School.

GREENFIELD, OHIO- From a real-life turtle to hands-on activities and R2-D2 robots rolling by, Greenfield Exempted Village Fifth Grade Career Discover Day was anything but ordinary. While the event showcased a wide variety of academic and career pathways for these 10- and 11-year-olds, it also connected students and teachers to the local and regional business community—proving that successful, meaningful careers can be cultivated right in students’ hometowns.

A Welder shows students some of his tools at the career discovery day event at McClain High School.

“I just have a passion for it,” 11-year-old Harley Roe said after taking off a welding hood at the career fest. She had just watched a welder demonstrate how to use a welding torch. “I want to do this when I’m older. I do this at home with my older brother. We make flowers and stuff my dad can use around the house.”

11-year-old Harley Roe wants to be a welder when she growns up.

Harley said she wants to take welding classes in high school to enhance her skills and become a certified welder. When asked where she would want to work once she enters this in-demand field, she didn’t hesitate: her hometown.

“I just really like the people here, and this is where I have always lived,” Harley said.

A response like that is music to Shawn Toy’s ears. Toy is the Education and Workforce Director for the Ohio Natural Energy Institute, an organization that educates people on natural gas and oil production in the state. She and her team are constantly reminding students that many in-demand jobs are available right in their home state and even in their hometowns.

“I do a few of these elementary career fairs across the state, and I love them,” Toy said. “It gets kids interested and thinking about possibilities, because sometimes they only know what their parents do.”

At Toy’s station, students made their own ChapStick using petroleum jelly and flavorings commonly used in baking. They also received small plastic hard hats and built a mock pipeline to demonstrate the flow of natural gas and crude oil. Toy said these hands-on activities are designed to show how natural resources are used in everyday products and to highlight the wide range of careers connected to the industry.

“We have more than 75 career opportunities listed on our website, along with job descriptions and educational requirements for each,” Toy said. “We also have videos—career cluster videos—filmed in Ohio that show people doing these jobs in the field.”

“Now, students can graduate from high school and get a good-paying job without having to leave the state.”

While students explored different career pathways, they also learned about opportunities available at the high school level. One of the featured groups was the high school Robotics Club, which was a popular stop, thanks to the robots that fifth graders could interact with.

Alana Best (left) stands with some of her robotics teammates and their R2-D2 robots.

“These are our best robots—the kind we use during [competition season],” said Alana Best. “It shows students that if they come here and want to do this, this is what they can expect in high school.”

Best, a freshman at McClain High School, is a member of the robotics team “Ctrl+Alt+Elite.” The robots she and her teammates showcased resembled R2-D2 from Star Wars. The team uses these robots in competitions, where they either face off against other schools or demonstrate their programming skills.

Best said she enjoys introducing younger students to the club, especially since it can sometimes be overlooked when students enter high school. She’s glad she discovered it early.

“What I want to do is programming, and that’s my role on the robotics team,” Best said. “It’s really helped me see what I might expect if I go into that field and how important teamwork is, because you have to work with engineers and strategists.”

Across the room from the R2-D2 robots, Krista Keri, owner of Black Cat Tattoo and Boo-tique was hard at work creating temporary tattoos for some fifth graders. Keri said attending career fairs allows her to show artistic students that there are career pathways available to pursue.

“Not every kid wants to go to college, and not every kid is cut out for college,” she said. “I think they need to know there are all kinds of trades.”

“I mean, think about it—this is really when they need to start. This is probably when they begin asking, ‘What will I do?’ or at least what they might want to do in high school.”

In addition to the tattoo station, welding, and the Robotics Club, many other businesses and organizations participated in the event. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources allowed students to hold a turtle and a snake while learning about wildlife restoration and preservation. A cosmetology school guided students in styling different hair types and textures on mannequins. The Recording Workshop (The RecW), an audio and music production school in Chillicothe, gave students a glimpse into music production using professional soundboards and recording equipment.

Students were able to hold a turtle and learn about wildlife restoration and preservation from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

It’s safe to say that many of the students walked away with something valuable from the day. The event truly helped bridge the gap between education and employment, serving as a catalyst for career exploration among Greenfield Exempted Village fifth graders.