By Kate Berube
Blue Point Elementary recently experimented with a new spin on a familiar classic. Previously, parent volunteers brought tools of their trade into the classrooms to demonstrate various livelihoods, but this year’s career day required a little creative planning. Lending a realistic look, teachers arranged for several parents in each grade to stream live on google classroom from their workplaces throughout the day.
Mrs. Newham’s 4th grade class took a virtual field trip through multiple jobsites Friday morning, including the construction of Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn which highlighted the work Steamfitter Local 638 contributes to the project. Veronica Powers and first year apprentice Kelsey Lutz started the presentation with a walk through and introduction to the job steamfitters perform, explaining the different equipment and jobsite safety. Taking an elevator with their materials up 5 stories, they brought the class along while answering questions from the students. When asked if steamfitting was akin to being a blacksmith, Powers found this to be a rather apt description. “It’s very close, we could certainly be looked at as a modern-day blacksmith. But we use torches instead of a forge.”
The duo ended with a demonstration of the scissor lift to the exclamations of delight from the class. While everyone hopes visitors could be welcomed back into classrooms in the future, judging from the kid’s reactions, virtual career day was a resounding success.
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