Matt Hufty of Dunkin' presents a box of donuts to a kindergarten class at A.D. Henderson University School. (Photo by Alex Dolce)

Students at A.D. Henderson University School in Boca Raton were able to get a glimpse into their potential future as more than 40 presenters dropped by for Career Day today.

Professionals presented in an array of fields – ranging from archaeology and biology, to firefighting and law enforcement, to many different specializations in athletics and the medical field. Students, from kindergarten through ninth grade, also were allowed to dress up as the career of their choice.

Kevin Cole, Ph.D., an archaeologist, presented to a class of fifth graders, teaching them how developments made centuries ago in Greece and Italy continue to affect things, including democracy, the alphabet and the modern calendar, within the United States. He brought along tools used in his digs, mentioning that the trowel he passed around still had Sicilian dirt caked on it.

“We have to dig to find answers... or more accurately, more questions,” he told the class.

Matt Hufty, a business consultant with Dunkin’, espoused the company’s cleanliness and speed of service. He then allowed the kindergartners to each make their own donut – and learn about the company’s quality control process as they did it.

This was the second career day held at the lab school and the first since February 2020. The Career Day team, made up of Rebecca Kasten, instructional interventionist for elementary school; Jill Deskin, elementary school guidance counselor; and Gigi Kean, middle school guidance counselor; started planning the event in October 2022, asking for volunteers with the hopes of showcasing a wide variety of career options.

“One of the main goals at our school is for our children to always set goals for themselves and prepare for their future,” said Kasten. “We wanted to expose children to as many career options as possible. February is Career and Technical Education Month, so this event would fit right into having children think about what they want to be when they are older.”

Other presenters included softball instructor Christine Stephens; Jason Cipyak, a store manager from Publix; and marketing and communication professional Stephanie Bihr. Besides within the classrooms, a mobile OrthoBus was parked outside of Henderson to allow students hands-on learning experiences in the field of orthopedics.

“Based on the parents, children, and teachers’ reactions, the day went amazingly well,” said Kasten. “The children were engaged and interested in learning about each career. Children in elementary school were also excited about showing their teachers and friends what they wanted to be when they were older based on the costume they got to wear to school.”

For more on Career Day, click here.

-FAU-