Vision Together 2025, Greater Johnstown School District to hold career fair
Vision Together 2025, in partnership with the Greater Johnstown School District, will present the 'I Have a Dream' Kids Career Fair from 9:25 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Thursday in the gymnasium at Greater Johnstown Elementary School, 196 Westgate Drive, Johnstown.
The event is designed to introduce district pupils to local career opportunities while connecting parents with employment resources.
In honor of Black History Month, the career fair embraces Martin Luther King King Jr.'s iconic 'I Have a Dream' message, emphasizing opportunity and success for all.
'This career fair is not just about inspiring children, it's about creating real opportunities for families in our community,' said Mercedes Barnette, community development director for Vision Together 2025.
'By exposing students to different careers early on, and providing parents with employment resources, we're working toward a stronger, more connected Johnstown.'
The fair aims to educate pre-kindergarten and elementary school-aged children about various career paths through interactive, hands-on activities.
'We want to introduce kids to local professions and provide them with activities so they can understand what the careers are and provide them with a little bit of motivation to have a successful career later in life,' Barnette said.
'With Vision Together 2025, we have priority goals that we focus on and our first one is developing current and future leaders and investing in our youth, so we want to get them as young as possible to try to mold our young leaders minds to start thinking success now.'
The career fair also has a goal of creating community connections.
'That will strengthen the ties between local employers, educational institutions and families to address some of the economic challenges that we're having,' Barnette said.
In addition, students will be given employment resource packets to take home, ensuring parents have access to valuable job opportunities and career advancement tools within the local workforce.
On hand will be nine area companies who will showcase their industries in a way that will excite and engage youngsters.
'They will be providing presentations that the kids can understand,' Barnette said. 'The activities will help them learn while having fun.'
To further promote literacy, pupils will receive a gift bag with books, and participate in special storybook readings with guest characters throughout the day, which will provided by the Cambria County Library.
Barnette said the plan is to expand the career fair into additional schools, along with hosting public events for children and adults.
'The biggest thing is learning about what occupations are out there,' she said.
'I hope we can mold their minds to start thinking careers now so that when they get to high school and experience career fairs they'll understand the concept. It's giving them a jump start to a successful future.'
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