Saratoga Springs students learn more about careers
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Students at Division Street Elementary School listened to a professional chef, a Major League Baseball front office member, a marine meteorologist, and other professionals during the annual STEAM career day Wednesday.
Children in kindergarten through fifth-grade each listened to four different speakers about various fields such as medical, hospitality, engineering and more.
“Each of the presenters try to relate their career for the students to understand how does science, technology, engineer, arts and math apply to different careers,” said principal Greer Miller. “To bring it to real life for them. The goal is that by the time they leave Division Street, they will have been exposed to at least 24 different careers.”
What began as STEM career fair has turned into STEAM career day to include arts-based occupations.
“We try to have a really diverse group, trying to appeal to each of the kids and what they might be interested in, because you never know what that spark is going to be,” said Miller. “Even at the elementary level, what career they might eventually be interested in.”
Speakers engaged with students in different ways. John Capelli, a chef at Olde Bryan Inn, asked children how science and math, for example, play a role in cooking.
Third-grade students responded to his questions about mixing and measuring ingredients.
In first grade, Christopher Congero, a paramedic for Clifton Park Halfmoon EMS, asked for student volunteers for handson learning.
Miller said some of the speakers were parents of children at Division Street Elementary School, but that’s not always the case.
“Some of them have no affiliation and they just do it out of the goodness of their heart, which is just fantastic because the community outreach is wonderful,” said Miller. “The parent volunteers that come in and do it are wonderful, too.”