In an attempt to get kindergartners through sixth-graders thinking about what career paths they might like to take, La Rosa Elementary School held a Career Faire on Wednesday.
Approximately 16 career representatives dropped by for a talk on their respective field of work as well as field questions from students. Representatives of D.A. Wood Construction, Hand Creations Floral, Emanuel Medical Center, Wells Fargo Bank and Sky Trek Aviation spoke to students about their jobs and the career paths which got them there.
Ceres orthodontist Dr. Jeff Barton told the students that the pathway to any career is doing well in school.
"Something that my dad told me when I was young is it's okay if you don't know what you want to do but don't have doors shut on you. Don't close any opportunities. What that meant was, always do your best because if you have good grades and good habits, you can be anything that you want to be. But once you start slacking off and not doing things, that's when opportunities start closing."
He explained that dentistry has a number of careers besides being an actual dentist. He named dental receptionists, dental assistants and dental hygienists
Barton explained that a dental hygienist must attend dental schooling from four to five years but to become an orthodontist he had to go to dental school for 11 years.
"If somebody had told me when I was your age that I was going to go to all the way through high school...and then 11 more years of school, I would have told them they're crazy," said Barton. "But once you start doing something that is interesting to you, you like it. I mean, to me it was as fun as playing video games. Learning about teeth, and the body and anatomy and braces and how to straighten crooked teeth and turn them into a beautiful smile to me was as fun as video games."
He told students to think about their careers, explaining he tried studying engineering led to the discovery that for him "it was boring." Dr. Barton said he remembered the dentist he knew growing up with and thought it would be a cool career.
"When you like something, learn something more about it if you can. Eventually if you keep following what you like and learn as much as you can about what you like, you'll find out exactly what you want to do."
Barton said he never turns down a student who wants to shadow him to explore orthodontia as a career.
Outside Ceres firefighter Thomas Beyer was showing students all about a fire pumper, which is capable of carrying 750 gallons of water and pumping 1,500 gallons of water per minute from a fire hydrant.
In front of the school a Ceres police patrol car was explained to students. Explaining police work were officers Steve Carvalho and Norbert Castro.
"Things change all the time," Carvalho said of his daily activities. "We have to make quick decisions. Yes, sometimes it can be very hard, very stressful. I do like my job and it's fun too. It's good to help others and see that people who do bad go to jail. But it can be scary at times."
Others at the event were Lifetouch Photography, an Emanuel Medical Center nurse, a representative of the Turlock Mosquito Abatement District and Cost Less Foods manager Del Ambris.
Approximately 16 career representatives dropped by for a talk on their respective field of work as well as field questions from students. Representatives of D.A. Wood Construction, Hand Creations Floral, Emanuel Medical Center, Wells Fargo Bank and Sky Trek Aviation spoke to students about their jobs and the career paths which got them there.
Ceres orthodontist Dr. Jeff Barton told the students that the pathway to any career is doing well in school.
"Something that my dad told me when I was young is it's okay if you don't know what you want to do but don't have doors shut on you. Don't close any opportunities. What that meant was, always do your best because if you have good grades and good habits, you can be anything that you want to be. But once you start slacking off and not doing things, that's when opportunities start closing."
He explained that dentistry has a number of careers besides being an actual dentist. He named dental receptionists, dental assistants and dental hygienists
Barton explained that a dental hygienist must attend dental schooling from four to five years but to become an orthodontist he had to go to dental school for 11 years.
"If somebody had told me when I was your age that I was going to go to all the way through high school...and then 11 more years of school, I would have told them they're crazy," said Barton. "But once you start doing something that is interesting to you, you like it. I mean, to me it was as fun as playing video games. Learning about teeth, and the body and anatomy and braces and how to straighten crooked teeth and turn them into a beautiful smile to me was as fun as video games."
He told students to think about their careers, explaining he tried studying engineering led to the discovery that for him "it was boring." Dr. Barton said he remembered the dentist he knew growing up with and thought it would be a cool career.
"When you like something, learn something more about it if you can. Eventually if you keep following what you like and learn as much as you can about what you like, you'll find out exactly what you want to do."
Barton said he never turns down a student who wants to shadow him to explore orthodontia as a career.
Outside Ceres firefighter Thomas Beyer was showing students all about a fire pumper, which is capable of carrying 750 gallons of water and pumping 1,500 gallons of water per minute from a fire hydrant.
In front of the school a Ceres police patrol car was explained to students. Explaining police work were officers Steve Carvalho and Norbert Castro.
"Things change all the time," Carvalho said of his daily activities. "We have to make quick decisions. Yes, sometimes it can be very hard, very stressful. I do like my job and it's fun too. It's good to help others and see that people who do bad go to jail. But it can be scary at times."
Others at the event were Lifetouch Photography, an Emanuel Medical Center nurse, a representative of the Turlock Mosquito Abatement District and Cost Less Foods manager Del Ambris.
