21-02-2025
Johnstown elementary students explore careers in a hands-on setting
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ) — When you were in elementary school, your teachers probably asked what you wanted to be when you grew up. Every kid always has a different answer, and sometimes it can shape the rest of their lives.
Hundreds of children at the Greater Johnstown Elementary School got the chance to see some of the careers from the local community up close. It was for the first ever 'I Have A Dream' Career Fair.
'I wanted to do something in honor of Black History Month for one. That's where the I Have a Dream came from for the kids' career fair. And then I also wanted to collaborate with the community and bring something to the school. I know that normally whenever we have career fairs, for a certain age group, but I want to change it up. I wanted to bring it to a younger age group,' Mercedes Barnette, Community Development Director for Vision Together 2025, said.
The career fair was for students in grades Pre-K through four. Nine businesses/companies from public service, literacy, medicine, and innovation interacted with children to show the careers available in their area.
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Kurt Hoffman, the Principal at the Greater Johnstown Elementary School believes the fair will help children who don't know what they want to do yet.
'So it starts here at the foundational level and just builds on into the middle school and high school years into our CTE programs, career and tech ed programs at the high school. That's the idea. We can have all kinds of pathways to success, but if they don't get the vision early on, you know, what's the point?' Hoffman said.
1,200 packets of job info were at the fair. There were also take-home employment opportunities for parents.
'I've just seen a lot of enjoyment, a lot of new knowledge being presented, a lot of, just things that they didn't know. Like what's all involved with the different careers,' Eddie Mikesic, Director of Workforce Development at the Greater Johnstown Elementary School, said.
The 'I Have a Dream' Career Fair is expected to become an annual event every February.
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