The Wagner Community Memorial Hospital-Avera sponsored an 11th annual 8th Grade Career Fair on Thursday, January 20 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. A variety of career choices 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 welding; use a demo fire extinguisher to put out a fire; demonstrate sealing a tooth model; have a body composition done; practice CPR skills; use night optics to go through obstacle course; demonstrate removing skin staples and stitches in addition to many other hand-on opportunities.

Approximately 380 students participated from 22 area schools. The schools that attended were: Andes Central, Armour, Avon, Bon Homme, Burke, Corsica-Stickney, Crow Creek; Dakota Christian, Ethan, Freeman, Gregory, Hanson, Irene-Wakonda, Menno, Mitchell Christian, Netherland Reformed Christian, Plankinton, Platte-Geddes, Scotland, Tripp-Delmont, Wagner and Winner.

Exhibitors included: Avera Home Medical (Yankton); C & B Operations; Charles Mix Electric; Charles Mix Community Health; Delta Dental; DWU Nursing; Hollman Apiaries; Mitchell Technical Institute-multiple programs; Mount Marty-College of Nursing; SD Highway Patrol; US Secret Service/Homeland Security; SDSU College of Admissions; Sioux Falls Fire & Rescue; SD Game Fish & Parks; SDSU Extension; Southeast Technical Institute; USD College of Physical Therapy & Social Work; Dakota State University; Wagner Indian Health Service; National Guard-Wagner Unit and Wagner Community Memorial Hospital-Avera.

Thank you to the City of Wagner for the use of the Armory and 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.