Summerland freshmen explore career possibilities at Northeast Community College

Imagine getting to pilot a drone, ride on a tractor operated by precision agriculture technology or controlling a robotics machine and programming it do a task like delivering packages.

Those were some of the tasks that students had the opportunity to do during Ninth Grade Career Day on Friday, Dec. 13.

Approximately 30 members of Summerland's freshman class participated in the event, according to Kendra Shrader, 7-12 guidance counselor.

Becky Miller, Northeast communications and recruitment coordinator, said Northeast had roughly 660 ninth graders from 30 schools in Northeast Community College's 20-county service area registered for the event.

Several groups of students attended sessions throughout the morning. The entire campus came together to welcome the students, show them around and answer questions.

Among those who assisted were Northeast faculty members, many of whom gave presentations in their respective fields. Others assisted by helping students to navigate from session to session.

In addition to Summerland, schools represented were Allen Consolidated, Bancroft-Rosalie, Burwell, Cedar Catholic, Chambers, Crofton, Elgin, Elkhorn Valley, Emerson-Hubbard, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge, Lutheran High Northeast, Lyons-Decatur, Neligh-Oakdale, Newman Grove, Niobrara, Norfolk Catholic, Oakland-Craig, Pierce, Plainview, Pope John Central Catholic, Santee (Isanti), Stuart, Wakefield, Walthill, Wausa, West Point-Beemer, Wheeler Central, Wisner-Pilger and Wynot.

Some of the careers that were explored were nursing, physical therapists, paramedics, history, acting, robotics, construction, plumbers, daycare, diesel tech, acting, utility line, welding, automotive technology, business and more.

The students were provided with a free lunch in the Hawks Point dining hall.