Career Representatives Drop In At Mountain View

Mountain View Middle School students shared their classrooms Wednesday - with a human heart, a 4-foot Great Dane and four sky divers.

Sixty professionals, from a wide array of occupations, visited the Spokane Valley school for an all-day teach-in on careers.

The heart, along with a lung, liver and brain, were exhibits in laboratory manager Steve Rademaker’s presentation.

“Gross,” students said as they hustled off to their next session.

In all, students chose 11 different 25-minute presentations in the school’s first buildingwide career day. It was the brainchild of nine teachers, who began putting it together in January.

“We just got on the telephone and started calling,” said teacher Kathy Parsons. “I think we’ll stick with this format.”

Professional paramedics, truckers and cake decorators explained their careers and gave tips on how to succeed.

Ceryno, a Great Dane the size of a small pony, helped dog trainer Debra Meddina illustrate her job. Ceryno wandered around the classroom, laying his huge head on students’ arms.

The highlight of the day came just before lunch, when a small plane flew over the school’s playing fields and sky divers leaped out in multicolored suits.

“This is an awesome day, isn’t it?” one student asked another as they waited for the sky divers.

Necks craned and all eyes were on the sky as the tiny specks hurtled toward the ground, growing larger and larger and finally landing in front of the cheering students.

“I’d make it a full-time career if I could,” sky diver Jim Lenox told the students who surrounded him as he rolled up his parachute. “Runny nose and all.”

Most students agreed the career day was much better than the average school day. And they all had a favorite presenter.

Sixth-grader Nate Knodel, 12, said he liked the naval electronic technician because “you get to chase around Russian submarines and stuff,” he said.

But Knodel’s an artist, and when he grows up, he wants to be either an architect or a cartoonist.

Nichole Faso, 12, said she’d like to be a physical therapist because she wants to help people. A presentation she saw at school reinforced her interest in the profession.

“This one girl, they rolled her on a ball to help her keep her balance,” the sixth-grader said. “It’s neat to see the things they do.”

Career days are up to each school to organize, said East Valley School District Superintendent Chuck Stocker, who was impressed with Mountain View’s efforts.

“It’s not one of these things where kids are allowed to goof off,” he said. “They’re exposed to a lot of careers.”