On January 29th, as part of Catholic Schools Week, middle school students at Saint Columbkille Partnership School participated in Career Day, an opportunity to explore various professions and learn from community members who generously shared their experiences.
One of the themes of Catholic Schools Week is celebrating vocations, recognizing that each individual has unique talents to share in service to God and others. The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) highlights how Catholic schools prepare children to succeed by focusing on learning, serving, and leading. Career Day exemplified this theme by exposing students to diverse career paths that align with their skills, interests, and aspirations.
Throughout the event, students rotated between classrooms every 15 minutes to hear a new presentation and engage with professionals from a variety of fields, including:
- Mrs. Shirley Wai - Nursing Supervisor – Presented on patient care and the many roles within the medical field.
- Ms. Lauren Hunt - Assistant Director of Football Operations – Shared insights into the behind-the-scenes work that keeps a Division I football program running smoothly.
- Mr. Brian Delahanty - Police Detective – Introduced investigative techniques, including fingerprint analysis.
- Mrs. Fatima Noguiera - Travel Agent and Business Owner – Presented about how travel planning can turn into a career that brings people’s dreams and wishes to life.
- Mr. Dan Carney - Communications Engineer – Shared his perspective on the impact of technology and artificial intelligence in modern communication.
- Mrs. Erika Cedrone - Catholic Mission Work – Introduced stories of service and outreach to communities in need and the importance of helping others.
Students were engaged and inspired by the variety of professions represented. One student shared, "I had a lot of fun learning about different careers and seeing what people do for a living. I especially appreciated the deeper look at what a day in the life looks like as a nurse, and it was amazing to see how detectives get fingerprints!"
A heartfelt thank you to all the parents and community members who took the time to present and inspire our students. Career Day not only provided a glimpse into potential future paths but also reinforced the importance of using one's talents in service to others—an essential value of Catholic education.