While some classrooms shared St. Patrick’s Day cheer, March 17 held another exciting event for fifth and sixth-grade students at Sippican Elementary School.
Students participated in Sippican’s annual Marion Occupation Program (MOP) event and spent the day exploring career paths through conversations with industry professionals.
Organized by the Volunteers at Sippican Elementary (VASE), MOP was an opportunity for students to meet individuals from the Marion community and learn about various careers.
During the event, students spoke with professionals in an array of fields. Adults shared their experiences in healthcare, engineering, emergency response work and other industries.
Each professional had a table where they displayed elements of their career, including uniforms, equipment, pictures and models. Students interacted with the materials and were inspired to ask questions.
Students heard from many volunteers, including:
Louise Racine Bastarache, nurse midwife
Kathy-lee Alves, nurse
Catherine Riberio, physician assistant
Wendy Rocha, waterfront engineer at Foth Engineering
John Miller, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Katelyn Anthony, engineer
Dr. Albert Pizzi, dentist at Artistic Dentistry of Hanover
Nick Tuhacek, commercial property manager
Members of the Marion Police Department
Members of Marion Fire and Rescue
Mirian Nawoichik, Seaside Decorations
“Thank you to all of the community volunteers who took the time to speak with our students,” said Superintendent Michael S. Nelson. “Hearing from professionals in different career paths sparked curiosity and led to many great conversations. MOP is a great opportunity for our students to learn about some of the career options available to them, and I was happy to see the excitement the day inspired.”
“We wish to thank VASE for their hard work in organizing this event,” said Principal Lynn Dessert. “Our students always look forward to MOP and the chance to speak with industry professionals. The event is always filled with insightful conversations and opportunities for the students to learn about careers they are interested in. We are grateful for everyone who participated, from our VASE group to all of the community members who spoke about their careers.”