CAREER DAY
By Mrs. Seashore
Millsberry Academy Teacher
Thursday, March 27, 2008 — You've probably had conversations that at some point involved the same interesting question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
This is always a fun game to play. The more you know about your options, the better you can play the game. If you need some help getting into the role, there are new career day costumes you can try on to see if fit the part.
Today we have some guest speakers to give you some insightful information on a few possible career routes. With us today is Jane Herring, David Reynolds, Jeremy Baxter, and Matthew Sinclair.
First up we have Matthew Sinclair who is a doctor. He's going to tell us a little bit about what it's like to work in the medical profession.
Mrs. Seashore: So, what would you say are some of the characteristics of people working in the medical profession?
Matthew Sinclair: I would say it takes a lot of compassion. Being able to calm and comfort people is a big one.
Mrs. Seashore: What sort of things does it take to get into this profession?
Matthew Sinclair: I think you have to start off with a strong interest in biology and how the human body works. Caring about people, and wanting to help them is large part of it as well. Being able to stay cool under pressure helps too.
Mrs. Seashore: It seems demanding, but very rewarding at the same time. Thanks for coming out today.
Next we have David Reynolds, who is a firefighter.
Mrs. Seashore: What is a day in the life of a firefighter like?
David Reynolds: Well, I guess that depends on the day, but it usually starts pretty early. We usually spend a lot of time in the fire station. You have to be ready to respond to a call immediately. We usually do a lot of physical training too. It's important to be in the best shape for this job. We also train for different emergency situations that may arise.
Mrs. Seashore: What sort of emergencies do you respond to?
David Reynolds: Aside from putting out fires, we also get called into a lot of other situations. For example, if someone got stuck in an elevator, we would help get them out.
Mrs. Seashore: What kind of equipment do you work with?
David Reynolds: We have special suits that keep us from getting too hot when dealing with a fire. These suits come with oxygen masks, so we can breathe in a smoke filled building. Then there's the fire truck. The hoses we work with are also really powerful. It takes a couple of people to operate it.
Mrs. Seashore: Wow, that all sounds exciting. Thank you for joining us today, David.
Jane Herring is a well-known Archaeologist. She's going to tell us a little bit about what that's like:
Mrs. Seashore: So Jane, what exactly does an Archaeologist do?
Jane Herring: Generally speaking, we study ancient human cultures and civilizations. We try to document and understand history by examining ancient artifacts.
Mrs. Seashore: That sounds really interesting. How do you normally spend your time?
Jane Herring: If you're lucky, you get to spend a lot of your time on digs, searching for artifacts. I was on a dig in Rome for the past two months, which was amazing. A lot of your other time is also spent in the lab, analyzing all of your findings.
Mrs. Seashore: What a fascinating job! Good luck on your next dig, and thanks for your time.
No matter what your dream is; you can make it a reality. Believe in yourself, and with a little determination, you could find yourself growing up to be anything you want.
THE LIFE OF A MUSEUM CURATOR
Thursday, March 27, 2008 — Keith Umai has been curator of the Millsberry Museum now for almost four years. He's done an amazing job thus far, creating memorable exhibits that have drawn some large crowds. Keith was always interested in art and history growing up. He became more interested in it in high school and then went off to college where he studied Art History. Being the museum curator is not only about finding great pieces for exhibits, but also deciding how you present it in the museum. Keith has managed to master both. Next time you're in the area, be sure to swing by the museum to check out the spectacular fruit of Keith's labor.