The WagnerCommunity Memorial Hospital-Avera sponsored a 10th annual 8th Grade Career Fair on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at the Wagner National Guard Armory. Partnering with the South Dakota Department of Health, the event also included “Camp Med Lanes”, which featured several different healthcare career choices. The event was coordinated by hospital employee, Connie Kaufman RN, BSN.

Eighth graders must select career paths for high school registration; thus, the goal of the career fair is to expose students to the wide variety of educational opportunities and career paths available to them. The emphasis was hands-on activities which were directly related to the promoted careers.Avarietyof careerchoices were present, including exhibitors from local and regional businesses as well as South Dakota colleges. Students were able to view the SD Highway Patrol rollover simulator; simulate compounding pharmacy medication; simulate welding; demonstrate sealing a tooth model; demonstrate removing skin staples and stitches in addition to many other hand-on opportunities.

Approximately 400 students participated from 18 area schools. The schools that attended were: Andes Central, Alexandria, Armour, Avon, Burke, Corsica-Stickney, Dakota Christian, Freeman, Gregory, Irene-Wakonda, Menno, Netherland Reformed Christian, Plankinton, Platte-Geddes, Scotland, Tripp-Delmont, Tyndall and Wagner.

Exhibitors included: Avera Workforce Planning; C & B Operations; Charles Mix Community Health; Commercial State Bank; Delta Dental; SDSU Extension & 4-H; Mitchell Technical Institute-multiple programs; Mount Marty-College of Nursing; SD Geological Survey Program; USGS EROS Center; SD Highway Patrol; US Secret Service/Homeland Security; SDSU College of Pharmacy & Nursing; Sioux Falls Fire & Rescue; SD Game Fish & Parks; South Central Educational Cooperative; USD College of Physical Therapy & Social Work; Dakota State University; Charles Mix Electric; Wagner/Lake Andes Ambulance; Wagner Indian Health Service; City of Wagner, National Guard-Wagner Unit and Wagner Community Memorial Hospital-Avera.

We appreciate the City of Wagner for the use of the Armory; Russell and staff for assistance in preparation/clean up; Fort Randall Telephone for providing wifi; Wagner National Guard for providing rolls/donuts for the exhibitors and Buche Foods for donating water for the exhibitors/students. An exhibitor meal was sponsored by Wagner Community Memorial Hospital-Avera. We would like to extend a special thanks to the exhibitors for the interesting, interactive displays and to the school counselors for bringing the students. Thank you to both the exhibitors and schools for the abundance of support to make the career fair a success!

Any business, agency or educational entity that would like to be included next year as a career fair exhibitor should contact Connie Kaufman at the Wagner Community Memorial Hospital-Avera at 384-3611.