The Wagner Community Memorial Hospital-Avera sponsored a 15th annual 8th Grade Career Fair on Thursday, January 15, 2026 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, BSN, RN.

Eighth graders explore 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 learn coping skills and 988 resource while constructing a calming jar; use photography props and get tips, practice simulated welding, perform virtual reality health care scenarios, get body composition interpretation, use yoga props, hands-on banking skills; demonstration of equipment used by a lineman; view Highway patrol officer gear and patrol car; perform CPR skills, practice with equipment used in physical therapy; perform a punch biopsy and demonstrate removing skin staples and stitches in addition to many other hand-on opportunities.

Approximately 443 students participated from 21 area schools. The schools that attended were: Andes Central, Avon, Bon Homme, Burke, Corsica- Stickney, Freeman, Gregory, Hanson, Irene-Wakonda, Marion, Marty Indian School, Menno, Mitchell Christian, Mount Vernon, Plankinton, Platte-Geddes, Sanborn, Scotland, Tripp-Delmont, Wagner and Winner.

Exhibitors included: Charles Mix Electric, Commercial State Bank, Dakota Wesleyan University (nursing), Dakota State University, Delta Dental, Flourish & Fettle, Lake Area Tech (admissions), SD Division of Behavioral Health & Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health Services, Leah Insko Photography, Mitchell Technical College (Admissions, Wi-fi and Broadbands, Nursing, Welding, Power Sports), Pheasants Forever, SDSU Extension 4-H Advisor, SDSU Extension Family & Community Health Associate, SD Community Health Nurse, SD Game Fish & Parks, SD Highway Patrol, South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO), Southeast SD Area Health Education Center (AHEC), South Central Educational Cooperative, University of South Dakota (Physical Therapy, Social Work, Health Sciences), Wagner Indian Health Service and Wagner Community Memorial Hospital-Avera (Behavioral Health, Infection Control, Medical provider, Physical and Occupational Therapy, CPR instructor).

Thank you to the City of Wagner and Wagner Community School for the use of the Armory and for assistance in preparation/clean up; Fort Randall Telephone for providing wifi and Buche Foods for donating water for the exhibitors and students. An exhibitor meal was sponsored by Wagner Community Memorial Hospital-Avera. We would like to extend special thanks to the exhibitors for the interesting, interactive displays and to the schools 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 384-7329.