Students at St Ann's Bay Primary School during Career Day. - Photo by Carl Gilchrist
Jovan Sydial, grade two, wants to be a policeman.
Future soldiers on parade. From left, grade two students Akeekie Roberts, Damaurie James, and Donavan Slythe.
Grade two student Georgia Watson wants to be a nurse.
Robert Davis was at the Career Day to support his niece, Christal Hall, of grade six, who would like to be a chef.
Students at the National Council on Drug Abuse booth.
Leon Brown, a future scientist.
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Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer, St Ann:
STUDENTS AT the Ocho Rios Primary School got a first glimpse of their future and the various career choices that await them at the school's recent staging of Career Day.
Despite early morning showers, the day pulled out the vast majority of students along with organisations that had booths numbering more than 20. Included among them were the St Ann Fire Department, HEART Trust/NTA, Joseph's, 4-H Club, Tourwise, BJ's Bridal, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Catalyst Book Store, and the National Council on Drug Abuse.
Most of the children were smartly dressed as parents had prepared them for the day. Several students turned out in uniforms mirroring professionals such as doctors, nurses, soldiers, police, firefighters, pilots, and chefs.
One smartly dressed grade six female student, Teshura Francis, took a different turn, telling The Gleaner she wants to become an entrepreneur.
"I want to be an entrepreneur because I don't want to be an employee, and I want to help people," Teshura said. Her second choice is to become a teacher as she wants to help students become educated.
Having recently sat the Grade Six Achievement Test, the student said she wants to attend St Hilda's High School in Brown's Town, but she would not want to board at the institution. Asked why, she replied, "I want to see my mother every day."
Head of the Guidance Counselling Department, Christine Badal-McBean, said the day was a success.
"The day was fabulous! The came out in their numbers. Everything was just excellent!"
She added: "We had a good number of displays. I think we had about 26 booths. We had two active clinics - eye-screening and paediatric. We also had PATH representatives doing registration in addition to HEART doing aptitude testing for the children, who really enjoyed the day."
Badal-McBean said the objective of introducing the children to careers was achieved.