Sophie
Stone |
Thirteen-year-old Sophie Stone said she wants a career
in helping fix injuries and illnesses. What she hasn't decided
yet is whether to be a doctor or a veterinarian.
In a first-time South Tech Summer Career Camp, the Sperreng
Middle School 7th grader is getting a chance to investigate
both career fields.
Last month, more than 50 6th, 7th and 8th graders spent
two weeks getting hands-on experience in six different career
fields.
In addition to health sciences and veterinarian assistant,
other fields were law enforcement and firefighting, motorcycle
and small engine mechanics, carpentry and fashion design
and cosmetology.
Sophie said her step-mother is a veterinarian and "I thought
that was cool."
But, she said she's also keeping an open mind about going
into a human health field.
From an education standpoint, prerequisites for both fields
are quite similar.
At the career camp, Sophie got to dissect a small animal.
She said, "I was pretty good at it."
Luke
Backer |
Thirteen-year-old Luke Backer took a look at small engine
and motorcycle repair. But, he said, "I don't know how well
it would pay as a career."
He came to the South Tech camp because it promised to help
him learn more about building things and fixing machines
and equipment. He's built his own computer.
During the camp, Luke got to take apart and reassemble
a new 6.5 horsepower, overhead-cam go-cart engine. "Mine
was the first one in the class that ran after the reassembly,"
he said.
After he accomplished that, he said he was inspired enough
to go home and disassemble and fix the family's lawnmower.
He said he fixed that and got it restarted also. Another
around-home project has been to make a backyard fountain.
But, the engine assembly at the career camp also had another
benefit. He has a go-cart of his own that he keeps at his
grandparents' farm near Kansas City.
"We go to Kansas City all the time. My grandparents have
600 acres that includes some 4-wheel trails that we use,"
he said. He maintains his own go-cart.
Edis
Niksic |
Thirteen-year-old Edis Niksic was another student interested
in the veterinary field. He said he wanted to check out
that field because "I love animals."
Edis will be an 8th grader at Rogers Middle School in
Affton.
He doesn't shy away from some of the rougher aspects of
veterinary medicine.
He said one of the most interesting parts of the camp was
checking the animals for disease-carrying parasites. That
involved working with animal urine and feces.
The presence of parasites is often determined by checking
waste materials from the animals being tested. Edis said
they used dogs, cats and rabbits for testing at the camp.
He said the camp experience has definitely increased his
interest in veterinary medicine. "I have a real passion
that helping animals," he said.
Nathan
Muench |
Thirteen-year-old Nathan Muench signed up for the law enforcement
and firefighting classes at camp. He said he got interested
because his father is a St. Louis City policeman.
He said he signed up for the South Technical camp because
he'll get a chance to learn more about the school's high
school education plan. Nearly all of the South Tech high
school students used the school's half-and-half curriculum.
That means the students attend their home high school for
half of the day for academic classes. Then, they come to
South Tech to get classes in their chosen vocational field.
Nathan said he's considering that sort of a high school
career.
He's got his future career path figured out. "After high
school, I'd join either the Army or Marines and then join
a police force after that service," he said.
Nathan said his most interesting activity at the camp during
the first week was learning how to figure his way around
a smoke-filled building. South Tech has such a building
in the back of the campus for its firefighting students.
He said, "We were given a flashlight and then told to find
our way around inside. You had to crawl low to the ground
to get below the smoke."
Shari
Hickey |
Thirteen-year-old Shari Hickey of Affton signed up for
the fashion design and cosmetology curriculum. She'll be
an 8th grader at Rogers Middle School this fall.
She's interested primarily in fashion design. "I've always
liked drawing and design," she said.
Shari said she had tried to design and make some of her
own clothes at home. "But, they didn't turn out very well.
I didn't sew them together very well," she said.
During the career camp, she got to make belts, purses
and a pillow. One of the last projects at the end of the
first week was making a headband.
"I took a larger piece of material and then folded it over
several times. I also folded in elastic material to make
the band stay on your head," she said.
She said she had the most fun making a large purse, which
was like a tote bag. "It was plaid with an open top," she
said. Her sewing was better also.
(If you'd like to know more about the vocational offerings
at South Technical High School, you can visit the school's
website at www.techedstl.com.
Or you could call the school office at (314) 989-7490.)
