Newtown Middle School eighth grade students learned about potential fields of study during the school's annual Career Day on December 1.

Roughly 30 visitors, either parents or other school community members, shared presentations in different classrooms with the eighth graders to offer glimpses at careers.

Counselors Sue Connelly and Tanya Hague-Doehr organized the day. Students rotated to attend three different presentations of their choosing.

During the first presentation, author Sophfronia Gregory, who explained to the students that she publishes with her birth name Sophfronia Scott, shared her story of how she came to be a writer with students in the library.

"I write. I write books. I write essays. I write short stories," said Ms Gregory.

Down the hall in one classroom, PepsiCo food scientists Stephanie Suhoza and Casey Schulze described some of the challenges food scientists have to find solutions for, like packaging for differing climates.

This year's Career Day had an actress and singer, an aerospace engineer, an author, a chef instructor, a chemist, a computer programmer, a construction manager, a detective of financial crimes, a representative of ESPN, a fire captain, food scientists, a graphic designer, an interior designer, a lawyer, a packaging engineer, a physical therapist, a service dog trainer, and others speak about their careers.