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Students Get A Taste Of Career Possibilities At NMS

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Students Get A Taste Of Career Possibilities At NMS

By Eliza Hallabeck

This year’s Career Day at Newtown Middle School on Friday, November 18, brought 26 visitors with different occupations to the school to share their experiences with participating eighth grade students.

As in past years, each presenter was assigned a different classroom to use for the duration of the event, and students signed up for which persons they wished to see. The day is designed to help students focus on which classes they intend to take when they eventually attend high school.

The presenters shared their experiences with students over three separate half-hour sessions.

This year’s group of presenters included an architect, a chiropractor and yoga instructor, a drummer and performer, a flight engineer, a financial news reporter, and a television director.

Inside the school’s auditorium one returning presenter waited for his command to display his abilities for the students. K-9 Officer Felicia Figol visited the school for the event wither her German shepherd partner Baro. Officer Matthew Hayes also helped for the demonstration, acting as Baro’s “decoy.”

“One of the biggest parts of being a decoy is catching the dog,” said Officer Hayes. “When you catch a dog, you aren’t just allowing him to bite you. You have to be able to agitate the dog. You have to be able to allow a dog to either become more aggressive or try to talk down with him, see how the dog is going to react.”

Officer Hayes explained that as the decoy, a stand-in for the “bad guy,” he should not be able to talk a trained dog out of an attack.

Officer Figol explained that she and Baro are always working, whether in Newtown or in another town when called upon. She also said Baro is sent in before other officers during dangerous circumstances.

“We can always get another dog,” said Officer Figol. “We can’t get another one of us. Again, Baro is a tool on my tool belt.”

However, Officer Figol added, she loves Baro too.

“He’s considered one of us,” said Officer Hayes, about Baro, who was about to attack him during a demonstration.

In response to a question from a student, Officer Figol said each new trained dog must be trained for four weeks.

“It is very intense,” Officer Figol continued. “I’ll tell you what, you have to be very physically fit to do this job.”

In another room, attorney Andrew Buzzi asked students, “Who wants to be a lawyer?”

A few hands were raised.

“You want to be a lawyer?” Mr Buzzi asked. “Good. You have a lot of studying to go.”

 To become a lawyer, Mr Buzzi explained, first the students will need to graduate from an undergraduate program, then attend law school for three more year’s worth of education.

“Then,” he continued, “you get the privilege of taking the bar exam, which is really fun, not.”

Mr Buzzi also explained lawyers need to be admitted into practicing for each state and federal court in which they wish to practice.

“If you like to study, there is a lot of studying involved in being a lawyer, and you like to work with people,” said Mr Buzzi about why students should become a lawyer. “I like to work with people, that is why I do trial law.”

In another room at NMS on Friday, Director of Product Innovation at PepsiCo John Olszewski asked students, “What do you think was one of the more popular flavors that you guys made?”

Around the science laboratory, students held tight to plastic bottles filled with freshly made soda, all flavored and chosen by the students.

Watermelon and cherry, Mr Olszewski said, are the most popular flavors of soda made.

Before the students left the room to attend another session of the Career Day, Mr Olszewski also gave out a number of different products, including a hat, stickers, and a book.

Mr Olszewski’s son Daniel, a junior at Newtown High School, assisted his father during the event.

“I just want to instill upon you guys that a job in science can be fun,” said Mr Olszewski, “and depending on how you take it, you can still do science if you like it. You can really interact with a lot of different disciplines and have a lot of fun with it.

Working for a big company like PepsiCo, Mr Olszewski said, also exposes him to many different things.

“It can be fun,” he said.

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