Career Fair gives Bronson students a glimpse of life after school

BRONSON - Bronson Middle School and High School students had a special treat on Thursday, April 3, as professionals and people from the business world advertised their trades at the Career Fair in the gymnasium.

Kids got a chance to stroll from display to display, receiving information on the careers that interested them.

This was the third consecutive year that Bronson has had a Career Fair. There used to be one at the old school, but interest dwindled and it was abandoned.

The idea was rekindled by the School Advisory Committee - in particular Cerise Smith - a parent who has been a workhorse in putting together this year's event.

"We've been trying to increase it each year," said Smith. "We have a lot of interesting careers represented. A lot of kids get out of school and they don't know what to do next. This hopefully gets them thinking."

The Middle School aged kids seemed fascinated with many of the displays.

"The sixth and seventh graders asked a lot of good questions," Smith said.

Diane May, instructor of Santa Fe Community College's surgical technology curriculum, had inquiries from students about the array of medical tools on display.

"It's a great way to get into the medical field," she said.

The Levy County Sheriff's Department had a prominent display.

"We handled questions about the law enforcement field," said spokesman Mike Narayan.

"There's a couple of kids who want to get into law enforcement," added Bronson school resource officer Donna Roe.

The Highway Patrol and U.S. Marshall also were represented in that area.

Forestry and Fish and Wildlife were also popular stops for students.

Carolyn Cohens and sister Charlie Mae had a table supporting art and writing. She displayed original paintings and a book on local history.

"A quite a few of the kids are into writing and poetry," Cohens said. "Kids should strive for higher education and always be aware of how they carry themselves."

One of the more macabre setups was by mortician Bill Austin of Hiers-Baxley Funeral Home. He brought an embalming machine and other tricks of the trade.

Other careers represented included banking, pharmacy, library, beauty technician and construction,

Jimmy Durden of Gold Coast Crane Service from Ocala brought one of its hydraulic truck cranes for kids to toy with in the parking lot.

"A few of the students talked to me quite seriously," said Bob Sheely, another Gold Coast employee.