• When is Career Day?

  • Career Day 2024 is on Friday, March 29, from 8:15 am to 11:00 am.  

• Who will I be presenting to?

  • Jenkins has around 460 students in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. Students will visit Career Day two grade levels at a time for 45 minutes (at 8:30, 9:20, and 10:10).  Their teachers will divide them into small groups and remain in the cafeteria/gym to help supervise.  Our younger students will rotate through Career Day (cafeteria, gym, and bus loop presenters); fourth and fifth grade will have the 45-minute block to visit with presenters as they wish.

• What should I bring?

  • Anything you choose to bring is optional, but props can really help spur conversation. Suggestions: 

    • Any tools or materials used in your work

    • Uniforms, personal protective equipment, costumes

    • Photographs, posters, displays

    • If desired, handouts - stickers, brochures, coloring sheets

  • Any hands on activities you are interested in bringing are ALWAYS a big hit.

• I'm TERRIFIED of talking in front of groups, but I'd like to help out...

  • Our format is extremely relaxed - you will not be in front of a large group! Students will come to you in small groups; most will have questions prepared.  It can help to prepare a few quick talking points: 

    • What do you do?  What is a typical day like?

    • How did you choose this job, and what training or education was needed?

    • Descriptions of any props you brought with you

• I'm worried my job might not be interesting enough.

  • You would be amazed at the careers that have been a big hit! In many cases, you will be the first time a student has heard of a particular career and they will be excited to hear about it. Just bring your enthusiasm and they will match it.

• What is the point of Career Day? These kids are too young to pick a job.

  • Children begin thinking about careers and their future at a very young age, often before they even start school.  Unfortunately, children only really consider careers as an option if they are exposed to them, limiting their options to the people they interact with regularly. (Since COVID, of course, many of our circles of people we see regularly have shrunk a great deal!)  In addition, children as young as preschool and kindergarten have been shown to start eliminating possible careers based on stereotypes (eg, that job is just for boys). 
    The purpose of Career Day is to expose our students to a wide variety of careers, post-secondary options, and positive role models.  It also helps students build a connection between the work they do here in school and the future they want for themselves.  

To sign up to participate, please fill out this form: Career Day Sign-Up 

We look forward to seeing you on March 29! Please email Ms. Brown if you have any questions