Skip to main content

Copperview students learn about possible future professions at Career Day

Jun 02, 2017 10:51AM ● By Julie Slama

While painting mascot masks, Career Day presenter and artist Mary Evans tells students to pick a career they’d enjoy like she doesdoing while painting mascot masks. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

By Julie Slama   |  [email protected]

 

Mary Evans asked Copperview Elementary students: “What do you like?  What are you good at?” 

Then, she said, “I like art. My teachers told me I was good at it.”

So, Evans told students she rethought jobs she has had such as putting stickers on papers, cleaning and calling people to ask for money. 

“I wanted a job that I’m happy doing.  For me, that’s art,” she said.

Evans now creates mascots’ masks, carefully applying paint to their faces. 

“I was taught the skills and then, I practiced and practiced until I became confident. When you look at a job, look for something you love and you’re good at so you’ll be happy doing it,” she told students.

Throughout several presentations, Copperview students learned from parents and community volunteers about the pros and cons of their professions and letting them know what class subjects have been helpful in careers ranging from a truck driver to a rocket scientist.

Keeping students engaged in school and learning their passion for careers is why Canyons School District hosts career days, said Cher Burbank, work-based facilitator.

“We want students to look around their community and explore careers and have a variety to learn about,” she said.

Pizza Pie Café owner Robin Mullins said that one perk of her job is that she can eat pizza any time she wants.

“I make the dough and throw it up in the air,” she said. “Then I turned it around before adding sauce and cheese.  Then, I add pepperoni and more pepperoni and more pepperoni.  When it’s done, I use a big shovel to get the pizza out of the oven so I don’t burn my hands.  Then, I can eat pizza every day.”

Mullins uses math to calculate the amounts of ingredients to add to the pizza dough.  She uses business management and organizational skills to run her company. 

“I learned how to read and write, and I wanted a job that would be fun.  It’s hard work, but I wanted to own my own business and wanted to be involved in my community,” she said.

Third-grade teacher Lynda McBride said that the career day offers students the opportunity to learn more about careers besides those of their family or neighbors.

“These presenters give students a lot of ideas of careers they can explore and look more into,” she said.  “We want them to embrace the importance of learning and how training is often needed for their careers.  We want them to know they can be anything they want to be. We want them to be lifetime learners and to choose careers they love.   I’m lucky I love the job I have.”

Third-grader Zoe Godinez appreciated the veterinarian presentation.

“I love helping pets and want to take care of pets of the sea as a marine veterinarian,” she said. “I want to help all sea animals from dolphins to alligators because I think it will be interesting and challenging.”

Zoe already has looked into her career.

“I know it will take eight years of school.  I know that it can be dangerous working with some animals so they will need their mouths taped closed, but I don’t want them to be uncomfortable either.  My favorite subject is math and I’m a pretty good reader so I’m already learning about as much as I can about it,” she said.

Still, she has learned from the Career Fair.

“I learned that you have to practice to be good at what you do and that we should be getting good at being students now,” Zoe said.