Provided by Prince William County Schools (PWCS)
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Victory Elementary students may have an edge the next time they answer this question. The school celebrated college and career readiness week by hosting two career fairs this spring. One of the events had an unusual twist —it was led by a group of students.
“Our fifth-grade SIGNET students worked through a five-week project-based learning assignment that culminated in hosting a career fair for our K–2 students,” said Principal Christopher Wray.
The project began with students completing an interest survey on the VACareerView.org website to explore possible career paths. Based on the outcomes, listed skills, and hobbies from the survey, students were paired with others who have similar interests. Student teams researched their career choice in depth and prepared to present their findings to the younger students at Victory Elementary. On Career Day, student presenters also dressed as their chosen occupation providing a more realistic experience for the K–2 students.
“The following afternoon, we had volunteers from varying careers come and set up stations in our gym for our third–fifth-grade grade students in a more traditional career fair,” said Wray.
Many of the volunteers were parents of current studentsCommunity volunteers were also invited to provide a well-rounded fair that celebrated careers in which many of the students expressed interest. Students were able to explore the stations and speak with the volunteers about the educational requirements, locality of jobs, and their day-to-day job duties involved in their careers.
