Students Amazed By Career Presentations
Sixth graders from White Rock, Noel and Pineville descended upon Crowder College’s Jane campus last week to consider their futures.
Wednesday and Thursday, Crowder held a career fair where students were able to speak with professionals in their field of interest as well as foster conversation between those in the workforce and the next generation.
Those in attendance explored a wide spectrum of careers, including nursing, construction and alternative energy.
Representatives from a variety of local businesses participated, including Four State Printing, Allied Health and Mid-Tec.
Liz Reed with Allied Health gave students a tour of the lab rooms and medical instruments a
health-care professional encounters, much to their delight.
She also provided them with a gel that highlighted bacteria when placed under a black light, much to their amazement. This was part of an exercise that reinforced the importance of thorough hand washing and the idea that bacteria — both good and bad — affect us every day.
Chris Catron with Crowder College’s MARET (Missouri Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology) Center enchanted students with his knowledge, and practice, of solar and wind energy.
Catron began by telling students that everything is solar powered, even humans. He went on to explain that we gather energy from food, which gathers its energy from the sun — either through photosynthesis or through the consumption of plants that have gone through photosynthesis.
Once students realize that the same processes working outside of their bodies are taking place inside, the gears in their mind begin to whir.
Catron goes on to describe the inner-workings of a solar panel, likening it to a “PB&J sandwich.” He says that the silicon wafers of the panel act as the bread with the phosphorous and boron contained between. The phosphorous has an extra electron; boron is lacking one. This equation creates movement as the electrons try to fill the empty space, which in turn creates electricity and moves it through the panel.
These thought-provoking presentations sparked questions, comments and, hopefully, a few dreams.