What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?
Soil Science Comes to the Forefront at Elementary School Career Day Event

NRCS Soil Scientist Marissa Theve recently brought a not-often-seen career choice to students at the Mohegan Elementary School. It happened at the schools 5th Grade Career Day Event, held in Uncasville recently.

Presenters explained to about 50 students what is required to get into their respective fields and the general concepts behind their careers. Students rotated in small groups to each presenter for a brief talk followed by questions. Besides Theve, other presenters included Chef Keith Caron, Hairstylist Missy Knowlton, Photographer Katie Kowal, and Coast Guard Commander Nunes.

The event was a highlight to a larger library science project in which students are expected to choose a career to research. Aspects include schooling/training requirements and costs, expected pay levels following graduation, and the predicted job demand. The project will culminate in a PowerPoint presentation on how each student will achieve their dream job. The experience will no doubt better prepare students for decision making down the road when they begin thinking about college and other further education prospects.

According to the school’s library staff and program coordinator’s Brenda Hankard and Susan Theve, many students have switched career topics since the beginning of the assignment after becoming aware of additional career paths that are not very obvious to children in the 5th grade. Not only is this experience helping students to expand their ability to carry out research, they are also becoming more aware of the world in which they live. For NRCS, this is a perfect chance to begin more extensive outreach – especially within underrepresented demographics. Hopefully, introducing young people in Connecticut to the idea of a career in the sciences will help to foster interest in future NRCS Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) and Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) opportunities.

Pictured: (l to r) Chef Caron, Missy Knowlton, Marissa Theve, Katie Kowal, Commander Nunes.

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