Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Career day teaches CMS students

The 1st Annual Career Day "Catch the Wave" was held Thursday, May 22, at Cabe Middle School. The event was planned by Lisa Turner with Coordinated School Health and Lynn Failla with 21st Century Community Learning Center.

The classes were organized by homerooms, and each homeroom was able to complete six sessions for the day.

Failla said the class sizes were small and the time frame was short so that all presentations were completed with excitement from the students involved and the staff members present.

With summer vacation in our midst, the activities and educational fun was a way to have hands-on demonstrations serve as a key way to learning, Failla said.

Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and others who have the pleasure of being with the students of Cabe Middle School, we encourage you to ask questions about their day and each of the presentations, Failla said. Also, we encourage you to read with your children the pamphlets and brochures they took home  set aside a specific time of day each day to read and discuss career choices and schooling needs to help secure a better future for the child.

The following career sessions were presented in the fifth and sixth grade rooms: Mrs. Butler's room was "Dental Hygiene," presented by Ms. Katie Cooper, a student at UAMS, who showed students the proper way to brush their teeth and the need to floss daily to reach places the toothbrush can't reach; Mrs. Capp's room was "Media Careers," presented by Mr. Mitch Bettis from the Ouachita Baptist University communications program; Mrs. Russell's room was "Pharmacy," presented by Amy Babb from Thomerson Drug & Gifts; Mrs. Davies' room was "Volunteerism," hosted by Ms. Davies in speaking with the students about the needs for giving of themselves to help those in need; Mrs. Dillard's room was "Safety Programs," presented by Matt Jackson from the Arkansas Farm Bureau in showing the needs for careers in presentations like ATV safety, bicycle safety and Internet safety. The programming was brought to students by the Farm Bureau Women's Committee; and Ms. Thomas' room was "HSU Career Development," presented by Pam Ligon from Henderson State University. Ms. Ligon spoke with the students about their future plans and specifically zoned in on some of the "plans" the students were considering in order to help the students understand their need to do their best in school to increase their opportunities for scholarships for further educations and better career choices.

For the seventh and eighth grade rooms, the following sessions were presented: Mr. Burkman's room was "ROTC," presented by Maj. Larry Roberts and CDT Raymond Reeves. Discussions and video showed the ways in which education needs are meet in conjunction with military service; Mr. Capps room was "First Aid," presented by Mrs. Valerie Free, showing the students how to make slings and wrap bandages as well as how to stabilize accident victims. This area was discussed through career choices for science, medical and volunteerism; Mrs. Clark's room was "Summitt Bank," presented by Franklin Bass and Ms. Misty Harris, in discussing careers in banking and included information on loans, payments, balancing statements, and savings; Mrs. Free's room was "Fingerprinting and DWI and the law, presented by Officer Free, Gurdon Resource Officer and Officer Sam Hart of the Arkansas State Police. They demonstrated to the students the science of police enforcement and criminal law by lifting fingerprints from various items, along with discussion about driving while intoxicated and the laws that help protect citizens; Mrs. Jackson's room was "Sports and Ministry," by Tarvoris Coach Tee Uzoigwe. He offered students the opportunity to hear firsthand experiences about living in poverty and the willingness to be positive and make good choices; and Mrs. Manning's room was "Marine Biology" with Dr. James Engman, a biology professor from Henderson State University. He discussed the careers and projects related to science and biology for half the day before the program switched to Kadre Wingfield, a State Farm Insurance Agent, who spoke about careers in selling auto, life and home insurance.

At the completion of the day, the "Career Day Presenters" left with their comments for preparing for next years day. The noted comments were "that the experience was great for the teachers, students and presenters". Also, comments were to "please do this again next year because the students were respectful and seemed very interested in the material presented".

This positive experience was our way to help get information into the hands and minds of Cabe Middle School students, Failla said.