Professionals from fields as diverse as glass blowing, tool and die making, welding, optics manufacturing, photonics and solar power came together at Churchville-Chili Middle School on April 19 to introduce students to future career paths.
Fifth- and sixth-graders at the school are exploring educational and career areas that interest them while meeting community experts in a series of workshops this year. The Advanced Manufacturing workshop featured Herb Case from ET Precision Optics, SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Ian Cooper, and Matt Wolff from Rochester Arc and Flame.
Churchville-Chili High School student Joshua Johnson, who studies Tool and Die and Welding at Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES WEMOCO, participated as well. He spoke with the younger students about his planned career and demonstrated the use of a dial caliper for precision measurement.
Students got a taste of what is involved in welding and glass blowing from Rochester Arc and Flame’s Matt Wolff. Provided photo
Each visitor introduced his area of expertise with an activity designed to pique student interest. Wolff spoke about arts-and-crafts smithing and jewelry making, and students used a simulator to experience welding. Cooper invited the student scientists to make a super-saturated solution and then observe crystals growing.
Churchville-Chili teacher Patti Saucke and STEM Coach Leslie Tanner demonstrated several applications from Nano-Link Center for Nanotechnology Education, including super-absorbent polymers and thin films.
The school’s Career Exploration Workshop series, which continues through the end of the school year, has included topics like Agriculture, Renewable Energy, Electronics, Engineering, Theatre and Drama, GPS/GIS and drones and Public Safety. Community involvement has been outstanding, and the school’s Instructional Coach Andrea Lynch is “grateful for all the time our incredible volunteer professionals have given to help our students. None of this would be possible without their support.”
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