News
Seventh graders get a sneak peek at their futures during Career Day 2011
May 23, 2011 - Astronaut, gymnast, rock star? What did you dream of becoming when you were 13? Seventh graders at CMS got a glimpse of what their future might look like as they heard from nearly 20 area professionals – including a pilot, a fire captain, federal agents, entrepreneurs, and more -- who were part of this year’s Career Day at the school.
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The day-long program allowed students to spend time visiting each career presenter, exploring career options and talking to the various speakers about educational and life skills needed for different careers.
Among the presenters for Career Day were:
• Ron Annis, President and Owner, Top Form, Inc.
• Richard Curtin, Owner, RK Tile Designs
• Jenny Brannon, Senior Member Education Coordinator, SEFCU
• Donna Harris, Owner, Sticky Fingers Gourmet Apples
• Captain Matthew Sala, Air Craft Commander/Pilot and Master
Sergeant Willy Gizara, New York Air National Guard, 139th Airlift
Squadron, 109th Airlift Wing
• Mark Smith, Dean of Students, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Tom Lombardi, Supervisor of Clinical Pharmacy Services, St.
Peter’s Hospital
• Brian J. Scherer, Physicist/Research Scientist, GE Global Research
• Deborah Priester and Alice Petralia, Legal Assistants, NYS
Education Department, Office of the Professions
• Paul Salway and Adon Trombley, Special Agents, Criminal
Investigation, US Department of Treasury
• Jeffrey Paoletti, Senior Consultant Engineer, FM Global
• Jim Fennen, Captain, Cohoes Fire Department
• Trooper Mark J. Cepiel and Detective Michael Student, New York
State Police
• Sheila Horton, Court Analyst, NYS Unified Court System, 3rd
Judicial District
The visitors took time to share with students the unique and individual paths that led them to their current careers. While a few had always known they would choose a career in their given field, most did not. They described to the students, in detail, how decisions they made along the way – decisions that in some cases dated back to their middle school years – impacted their career paths. In many instances, the professionals pointed out that the “fickle finger of fate” had many times intervened, directing their careers in different directions.
Students were each assigned a study guide that helped them ask questions that resulted in discussions rich in detail and that offered valuable life lessons. One piece of advice offered in classroom after classroom, was for the students to identify something they are passionate about and to set a goal of being able to indulge that passion, either in a job setting or as a volunteer.
CMS students treated the presenters to a catered luncheon, where
they served lasagna, salad and refreshments. The day’s activities
and the luncheon have become an annual CMS presentation coordinated
by the seventh grade Family and Consumer Sciences classes.
