Students enjoy Ridgemoor Elementary's annual Career Day
By Tommie Brown, Staff Writer If you happened to hear a helicopter flying low to the ground Friday in Menifee, you probably found yourself...
http://www.menifee247.com/2019/05/ridgemoor-elementary-schools-annual-career-day.html
By Tommie Brown, Staff Writer
If you happened to hear a helicopter flying low to the ground Friday in Menifee, you probably found yourself somewhere near Ridegmoor Elementary School’s campus amidst their annual Career Day.
Over 30 guest speakers volunteered their time to the students of Ridgemoor to talk about their occupations, schooling, and answer any questions the children had about their careers. From movie script writers and motocross track builders to welders, pilots, and myself – a journalist -- uniforms and briefcases scattered the Ridegmoor campus Friday afternoon.
Tina Wilson, Ridgemoor’s campus counselor, is responsible for the annual event.
“One of the domains we talk to the students about is academics in relation to college and career readiness,” says Wilson. “Seeing multiple careers at this age helps them better value the education they are receiving, even at this age.”
Thirty or so 4th and 5th grade students were selected from classes to be the Career Day visitors’ tour guides. With a schedule in hand, the students set off with their speakers, guiding us through each room on our check list, and keeping time of presentations in order to keep the day flowing smoothly.
Presentations halted, however, around 10 a.m. when REACH Air Medical Services landed their helicopter on Ridgemoor’s playground field.
“I’ve probably seen over a thousand helicopters land in my life, yet it’s still so cool,” said Michael Walsh, school principal. “It never gets old, so can you just imagine how the kids feel seeing this?”
Sheriff's Deputy Frank Rice introduces a K9 vehicle to students.
With shouts and cheers across the Ridgemoor campus and a few hands waving in the air from hopeful students begging to take a ride, the REACH helicopter was a success.
“REACH is a super cool company and we love doing community events, especially for the kids,” says Jessica deVries, former Ridgemoor parent. “The helicopter always steals the show!”
Another fan favorite on campus were the two Menifee Police Department K9 vehicles parked on the playground asphalt, accompanied by four officers – one being the K9 unit’s dog.
The students got to tour the inside of the police cars, both front seat and back, familiarize themselves with the officers’ uniforms and accessories, and ask as many loaded questions as their hearts desired.
One student dressed as a chef for the day even felt compelled to run to Deputy Rice -- also known as Mr. Menifee in the department -- and teased Officer Rooker to let him know about the ladybug he saw earlier in the field. That wasn’t the only animated question guests heard during the day. Nearly every police officer got asked to handcuff or tase someone, some guests were asked how much money they made, have they ever gotten in trouble at their jobs, and one young boy even asked a helicopter pilot the question we all had on our minds: “Do you have ice cream?”
With younger students encouraged to dress up for the day, tiny ballerinas, doctors, firefighters and race car drivers all lined up to take their turns touring the stations set up for them to explore.
Those of us with indoor duties toured through classrooms, speaking to bright-eyed students about the importance of our jobs, the responsibilities we hold, and the work it took to get there.
“The most important things we focus on at Ridgemoor are our three campus rules: Safety, Responsibility, and Respect,” explained Wilson. “We encourage all our speakers to highlight the roles their careers play in relationship to that.”
While police officers explained their responsibility to keep people safe, military members discussed their promise to respect their country, and writers like myself paralleled our commitment to telling the truth in our work with the troubles of copying someone else’s homework. Speakers could visibly see the students connecting the dots between what they learn in school with the careers that lay ahead of them.
In one classroom, a police officer explained to first graders how his desire to be Batman led to his career in law enforcementm where he respects his responsibility to keeping others safe. A student exclaimed, “Wow! Those are our three rules we learn!”
“It’s really important for students in elementary school to see the connection between their school and work,” saids Wilson. “It’s about the connection to problem solving, whether it be to join the work force, to go to college, or even just the next grade up. It’s about seeing that the things they do in class, matter.”
Tommie Brown's students photographed in an example of learning the meaning of "published"
Ridgemoor Elementary School’s Career Day is an annual event open to volunteers who wish to share their career with students. To get involved or for more information, contact Tina Wilson at twilson@menifeeusd.org.
If you happened to hear a helicopter flying low to the ground Friday in Menifee, you probably found yourself somewhere near Ridegmoor Elementary School’s campus amidst their annual Career Day.
Over 30 guest speakers volunteered their time to the students of Ridgemoor to talk about their occupations, schooling, and answer any questions the children had about their careers. From movie script writers and motocross track builders to welders, pilots, and myself – a journalist -- uniforms and briefcases scattered the Ridegmoor campus Friday afternoon.
Tina Wilson, Ridgemoor’s campus counselor, is responsible for the annual event.
“One of the domains we talk to the students about is academics in relation to college and career readiness,” says Wilson. “Seeing multiple careers at this age helps them better value the education they are receiving, even at this age.”
Thirty or so 4th and 5th grade students were selected from classes to be the Career Day visitors’ tour guides. With a schedule in hand, the students set off with their speakers, guiding us through each room on our check list, and keeping time of presentations in order to keep the day flowing smoothly.
Presentations halted, however, around 10 a.m. when REACH Air Medical Services landed their helicopter on Ridgemoor’s playground field.
“I’ve probably seen over a thousand helicopters land in my life, yet it’s still so cool,” said Michael Walsh, school principal. “It never gets old, so can you just imagine how the kids feel seeing this?”
“REACH is a super cool company and we love doing community events, especially for the kids,” says Jessica deVries, former Ridgemoor parent. “The helicopter always steals the show!”
Another fan favorite on campus were the two Menifee Police Department K9 vehicles parked on the playground asphalt, accompanied by four officers – one being the K9 unit’s dog.
The students got to tour the inside of the police cars, both front seat and back, familiarize themselves with the officers’ uniforms and accessories, and ask as many loaded questions as their hearts desired.
Students visiting the Urban Welding table.
One student dressed as a chef for the day even felt compelled to run to Deputy Rice -- also known as Mr. Menifee in the department -- and teased Officer Rooker to let him know about the ladybug he saw earlier in the field. That wasn’t the only animated question guests heard during the day. Nearly every police officer got asked to handcuff or tase someone, some guests were asked how much money they made, have they ever gotten in trouble at their jobs, and one young boy even asked a helicopter pilot the question we all had on our minds: “Do you have ice cream?”
With younger students encouraged to dress up for the day, tiny ballerinas, doctors, firefighters and race car drivers all lined up to take their turns touring the stations set up for them to explore.
Those of us with indoor duties toured through classrooms, speaking to bright-eyed students about the importance of our jobs, the responsibilities we hold, and the work it took to get there.
Questions being asked of a Traffic Engineer
While police officers explained their responsibility to keep people safe, military members discussed their promise to respect their country, and writers like myself paralleled our commitment to telling the truth in our work with the troubles of copying someone else’s homework. Speakers could visibly see the students connecting the dots between what they learn in school with the careers that lay ahead of them.
In one classroom, a police officer explained to first graders how his desire to be Batman led to his career in law enforcementm where he respects his responsibility to keeping others safe. A student exclaimed, “Wow! Those are our three rules we learn!”
“It’s really important for students in elementary school to see the connection between their school and work,” saids Wilson. “It’s about the connection to problem solving, whether it be to join the work force, to go to college, or even just the next grade up. It’s about seeing that the things they do in class, matter.”
Tommie Brown's students photographed in an example of learning the meaning of "published"
Ridgemoor Elementary School’s Career Day is an annual event open to volunteers who wish to share their career with students. To get involved or for more information, contact Tina Wilson at twilson@menifeeusd.org.
