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Greg DeJarnett answers questions from Jemison Intermediate School students during their office career day on Feb. 17. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Representatives from the district attorney’s office spoke with students at JIS. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Students at JIS received gifts from Zina Cartwell and Central Alabama Wellness. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Nurse practitioner Hannah Ellison shows JIS students some of the tools she uses every day at her job. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Regions Bank branch manager Rex Bittle speaks to JIS students about what goes into his job every day. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

Jemison Intermediate School held its second career day of the 2022-2023 school year on Feb. 17 with an in-office career day for Profession Panthers Day. The second career day was a follow up to the transportation career day JIS held on Oct. 21 last year. Administrators invited various community members who work in office job positions to give students a look into those careers.

“We wanted to do more of the office type, in-building careers, so the kids could get a different variety of careers,” Lauren Barnes, one of the JIS school counselors, said.

The JIS lunchroom was set up for students to go station to station to speak with the professionals who came out. The students spent 5-10 minutes at each station and got to ask questions to the professionals.

Some of the professionals who came out included Judge Chris Speaks and court clerk Glenn McGriff with the Chilton County Circuit Court, representatives from the district attorney’s office, nurse practitioner Hannah Ellison, Zina Cartwell with Central Alabama Wellness and retired educator Greg DeJarnett.

“It is always a pleasure to get an opportunity to speak with young people because I committed my life to this,” DeJarnett said. “I dedicated a 30-year career in working with young people not only in schools but also in sports and athletics and community events. This is what I do.”

Some professionals brought items from their daily job to show the students, and some brought gifts associated with their job to pass out to students.

“I liked how they brought stuff from their jobs, and we got to see all of it and they brought stuff for us,” Kenzie Clements, JIS fourth grader, said. “I am interested in being a helper with veterinarians, and I would like to make videos on YouTube about how they can help animals. I want to make some of those videos when I grow up.”

JIS students have now had the opportunity to speak with workers in transportation professions and office professions.

“The variety of the different careers they could go into (is the most rewarding),” Barnes said. “It opens their eyes to not only what they see on a day-to-day basis, but it gives them a variety of what to look forward to in the future.”

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