Bayou View Students Attend ‘Careers on Wheels’ Career Fair

About a dozen professionals representing a variety of careers involving wheels spoke to students about the career options that don’t involve sitting behind a desk. Some 2nd and 3rd graders got a lot of direction at Monday’s Kids’ Career Fair. Mason Holtzclaw, a 3rd grader, says, "We’re going around and learning about new stuff and what we want to be when we grow up."

Cooper Bruni, a 2nd grader, says, "We’re doing career day and I’m dressed up as a professional soccer player."

The Careers on Wheels Day opens the door for students, helping them explore careers that go beyond a desk, jobs that revolve around a steering wheel and a set of tires. Beth Wilson, gifted teacher at Bayou View Elementary, says, "Then we also have our ambulance and they’re teaching about the medical field. We have Mississippi Power here talking about electricity and engineering."

The students got to learn about all kinds of careers that involve a set of wheels and tires, from electrical work to engineering, but it seems like what we’re going to be seeing the most of in our future are more SWAT team members. Holtzclaw also says, "The SWAT team, Gulfport SWAT, there’s these really cool guns and they have rocket launchers and snipers."

Evan Prestwood, another 3rd grader, says, "Um, the SWAT team, and that they have all sorts of guns."

Lieutenant Heather Dailey says, "I think everybody likes the thought of trying to help others and that’s what SWAT does, and that’s what the police do, so I think that excites the kids and it’s exciting to think about that."

Wilson closes, "My son walked in today wanting to be an athletic trainer, but I see that his attentions going to the SWAT team." While the time to make career decisions is a long way off for these kids, these are the faces of our next generation of workers, the truck drivers, EMTs, SWAT team members, and firefighters, who just may save our lives one day.