This is the question many ask themselves as they make the trek through their school years.For many middle school students in schools that serve Kosciusko County, that question seems to be critical since it is during these years when they start choosing their educational path. By deciding on a career, they are able to choose the classes through high school that will facilitate and guide them in the direction of their career choice.
The Workforce Development Committee of the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce provided an opportunity on April 16 for middle school students to experience 35 different hands-on exhibits of careers that exist in Kosciusko County to help them decide "what they want to be when they grow up." In its seventh year, this annual event, sponsored by Teachers Credit Union, is called the Kosciusko Career Expo, formerly known as the Middle School Career Fair, and has been held in the gym of Lakeview Middle School for several years - a central location for the rest of the middle schools that serve the county.
The day at the career fair started out with Darryl Smith, chair of the Workforce Development Committee, giving a pep talk to the exhibitors before the students arrived. The students arrived in increments of 150-250 at a time during scheduled times throughout the school day from the different middle schools serving the county. In all, 1,300 students attended the Kosciusko Career Fair.
The students are notified in advance which careers will be on display, and they came prepared with specific questions they needed to get answered from their choice of exhibitors. They entered the gym with the energy and enthusiasm that you would expect from kids who just got off the school bus for an out-of-the-classroom, off-site event.
The gym is full of colorful banners giving direction to the different careers being exhibited. Students go from table to table to obtain their required information.
There was a wide variety of careers represented at this year's Kosciusko Career Fair with interactive table displays such as the veterinarian's assistant career exhibit that housed a live pet white rat named Corbin who engaged the kids outside of its cage as he was held by all. They got an eyeful of the equipment used by police at the law enforcement career exhibit, put on a full 75-pound firefighter suit at the firefighter career exhibit, got their hair done at the cosmetologist career exhibit, viewed the world through the eyes of a heavy equipment operator in the driver's seat of equipment provided by the Warsaw Street Department displayed in the parking lot, or even put on the gloves and learned boxing techniques from the fitness trainer career exhibit. These are just a few of the experiences that were provided for the students.
When their time was up, the students left with a mind full of new experiences and ideas to think about for their future. It is a fun and educational experience for not only the students, but also the exhibitors.
