Christian Academy Students Explore Career Options During ‘Careers on Wheels’ Day

CHRISTY AVERY
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NEW ALBANY — The parking lot of Christian Academy Indiana was filled with the excited shrieks of elementary children Thursday morning as lights, sirens and even a cow arrived to share their work with students.

Several organizations and departments came together as part of Christian Academy’s “Careers on Wheels” day, an interactive career exploration event allowing students to tour career vehicles and speak with professionals about the jobs they see in their communities every day.

Students from kindergarten through second grade had the chance to climb into New Albany Police Department vehicles, high-five the Chick-fil-A cow mascot and learn about everything from life as a plumber to what it’s like to ride in an ambulance.

This year marks the third “Careers on Wheels” day, which K-4th grade counselor Kristi Richards said takes place every other year. She said she appreciates the event as a way to get students thinking about what careers they’d like to do and broaden their perspectives by showing the value of not only college education, but trade and labor-based work.

“Using your own individual, unique gifts and abilities and passions – how does that look? That looks different for everybody,” she said.

To gather a variety of professionals, Richards said she reached out to all K-12 families to see who was interested in participating. Nearly all of the experts who attended the event already had established connections to staff and students at Christian Academy, helping kids bridge the gap.

Parent Relations and Marketing Manager Aimee Games said students often connect the jobs they see with experiences they’ve had or people they know in their community, normalizing those jobs and giving them a deeper understanding.

A local farmer piqued the interest of one little girl dressed as a florist Thursday morning, admiring the tractor he brought and asking questions about his work.

“They’re making family connections,” she said. “They’re saying, ‘My grandmother rode in an ambulance,’ and being able to go in and see makes it not as scary. These kids are firing off and making connections, and I love that.”

Many students came to school dressed for the occasion, wearing firefighter hard hats, white doctor coats or brightly-colored scrubs. Before career days, Richards said students fill out questionnaires encouraging them to identify their areas of interest and showing them potential jobs based on their answers.

After seeing the jobs up-close, they fill out a reflection form looking back on their favorite parts and what they learned.

“They’re able to write down ‘I didn’t know I could do this job,’ so it kind of gives them a little bit of a heads-up,” she said. “With kindergarten, we made some community helper hats and we talked about the different jobs that are out there. It just kind of gets them started thinking and dreaming. Nobody has to know what they want to be when they grow up in kindergarten.”

Christian Academy Indiana Elementary Principal Krystal Morrow said the event reiterates students’ faith by showing them they are worthy no matter what path they choose.

“Especially as a Christian school, realizing we’re all uniquely made,” she said. “Not everyone’s going to be a doctor, and that’s okay. That’s not your purpose.”

While many career days are geared toward middle or high-school students, Morrow said introducing younger children to potential jobs gives them an appreciation for different lifestyles and teaches important life skills early on.

“They’re so impressionable right now, and we want them to have gratitude and thankfulness for the people that are serving them when they go to Chick-Fil-A or get their heating and air fixed,” she said. “That’s a big character piece.”

Around 10 a.m. came the big moment.

Lights and sirens flashed, horns honked and students jumped and cheered as members of the New Albany Fire Department, the New Albany Police Department and New Albany EMS showed off the sounds and sights of the vehicles they work in each day.

Firefighter Paul Grace has participated in career day twice. He said his department’s presence teaches kids fire safety and keeps them aware of what firefighters do in the community.

“Talking to the kids helps show them how to be safe in a fire, and a lot of the kids love the firefighters,” he said, laughing. “It’s always great spending time with the kids.”

As students began to make their way back inside around 10:30 a.m., they made sure to shower Grace and his colleagues with appreciation. “Thank you for showing us the truck!” said one kindergarten boy, giving Grace a big smile.