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Seventh- and eighth-graders from all over Kosciusko County converged at Lakeview Middle School Wednesday for the annual Career Expo.
Nearly 1,300 students walked through the 41 exhibit tables representing 37 local businesses.
Trina Hoy, Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce director of communications and events, said the event is not a job fair but a career fair to introduce the middle school students to careers available in the county.
One of the goals of the Chamber is to keep people from moving out of the county. In eighth-grade, students are supposed to begin choosing their classes for high school. By introducing the middle school students to careers available in this county, the students can begin to think about their future career and what classes they need to take in high school.
Some of the exhibitors Wednesday included the fire department, EMS, Bowen Center, Sunrise and Bob List photographers, Biomet, DePuy, Monteith Tire, Milton Gould with Alder's Gate Methodist Church, Maple Leaf Farms, Simple Solutions Accounting and Tax Services Inc., Time Services, Freedom Academy, Hoosier 103.5, Ivy Tech, Dalton Corp., Kosciusko Community Hospital, Beauchamp & McSpadden Insurance, Cardinal Center, Samaritan Air Ambulance, Machining Concepts, JMS Insurance, Lake City Bank, Teacher's Credit Union, Community Coordinated Child Care, the police and sheriff's department, and Lake City Animal Clinic.
Hoy said the animal clinic was a "pretty hot one" and the students always like the police and sheriff's departments, who had guns out on display. "That's always a big attraction," she said. The Bowen Center also drew attention from the students. The students are supposed to go around to the exhibits, ask questions and then give a report back at school.
The Expo was 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. with a break for lunch. This is about the fifth year for the Career Expo.
"It's a lot of fun," said Hoy. "The kids have a lot of fun."
