Ste. Genevieve Elementary Launches First Community-Based Career Day

Fifth-grade students at Ste. Genevieve Elementary had the opportunity to visit four different local businesses on October 16, as part of their first community-based Career Day, sponsored by the Parent Teacher Organization.

Over the past few years, Career Day has brought businesses and community members to the schools to talk with students.

This year, counselors Jesika Greminger and Amy Rowland decided they wanted to offer students a new perspective on how local businesses operate. Students had the opportunity to visit the businesses on site and see the careers in action.

The following local businesses and professionals who hosted Career Day: Dairy Queen, Lhoist, Ste. Genevieve County Community Center and Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital.

Each business offered a variety of learning activities for the students. From helping perform advanced cardiac life support on a mannequin at the hospital to creating their own sundaes at Dairy Queen, students were able to experience what it would be like as a professional in each of these careers. Students were given tours of the Ste. Genevieve Community Center’s facilities, including the Progress Sports Complex. They toured Lhoist, where they donned hard hats and safety glasses before learning about the kilns and heavy machinery used to mine the quarry.

“I think Career Day was a huge success this year with the new format,” Greminger said. “The kids enjoyed the hands-on experiences and commented on how much fun they had on this field trip. I think they realized that there were so many different job opportunities at each business we visited. Some of the students have told me they are now interested in some of these jobs, which is really exciting because that was my goal for the day — I wanted them to see how many job opportunities there are out there when thinking about their future career.”

The Parent Teacher Organization sponsored the buses to transport students from each location.

Dairy Queen provided each student with a free sundae with the topping of their choice.

(Photos, information from the Ste. Genevieve R-II School District.)

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