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Several middle schoolers received hands-on experience at culinary, veterinary, health care, and HVAC careers at Kokomo Career Center’s KACC Career Exploration Youth Camp in June.
KACC Director Jonathan Schuck noted that the camp helps students and parents explore the varied vocational programs offered by KACC, “while having fun possibly discovering a future career path for themselves.”
HVAC instructor Jim Vest had several furnace simulators and air handling units lined up in his classroom, and several campers assembled and disassembled the units under the supervision of one of the older student program members.
Vest noted the need for HVAC professionals in a field where the last few years have seen large numbers of technicians retire. “We are trying to put together local internships with heating and cooling businesses,” Vest said.
Culinary Arts Instructor Kaly Griggs had several Kokomo Center middle school students, and some from other county schools, custom-making pizzas in her food preparation classroom.
Griggs and Schuck noted that KACC’s culinary program prepared students for ServSafe certification, an industry standard protocol on food handling and preparation created by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. “You cannot be a restaurant manager of a large chain without this certification,” said Schuck.
Other campers explored veterinarian careers with Veterinarian Technician Lacey Jones and the medical assisting field with Health Sciences instructor Judi Thompson.
“KACC Career Exploration Camp is an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about the innovative programs and initiatives that Kokomo School Corporation (KSC) offers,” said Director of Secondary Education and Special Programs, Dr. Teni Helmberger, “KSC recognizes the importance of vocational training and the impact it can have on the lives of our youth and the future of our community.”
Festival of Flight buzzes Grissom Air Museum
Outside, the skies were abuzz with the sound of model planes flying about. Inside, the museum hummed with the sound of amused parents and amazed children. On June 24, the Grissom Air Museum held its Festival of Flight open house.
Those in attendance got to meet the pilot of an A-10 Warthog -- Col. Josh Waggoner, 122nd Fighter Wing, Ft. Wayne -- and a boom operator from a KC-135 refueling plane -- Col. Tim Cahoon, USAF (RET).
They enjoyed remote control aircraft flyovers and learned about the Grissom Air Reserve Base's history and the stories of some of the local area's more prominent U.S. Air Force veterans.
Located on the Grissom Air Reserve Base in southern Miami County, the air museum has been going strong since 1994. It features helicopter and F-4 cockpit replicas as well as artifacts from air force history.
During the Festival of Flight, plenty of activities took place outside on the museum grounds. The Converse Flying Eagles RC Club gave remote control aircraft demonstrations, and representatives from the Peru Fire Department's Aerial Imagery, Search, and Rescue team showed off their drones. And of course, the museum's many retired aircraft wowed the crowd.
The Grissom Air Museum Festival of Flight was sponsored by Dean Baldwin Painting, Beacon Credit Union, and TTG Equipment. Food was offered by T&J’s BBQ of Peru.