William Bentley came out of a police SWAT vehicle impressed.
“It’s pretty cool and you get to see how the police station works and what they do. And it’s kind of cool to see possible careers you can go into,” said William.
That’s the idea behind the Junior Achievement-sponsored events, which occur throughout the year at various dates for different school systems in the region, said Carol Lucio, executive director of the Junior Achievement of Butler and Warren Counties, which is part of Cincinnati-based Junior Achievement of OKI Partners Inc.
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“Our goal with this day is to give students a chance to explore careers and career fields. Times are different now and students have to be making career decisions younger,” said Lucio in explaining why 8th graders are invited out to area businesses and government agencies for tours.
The local Junior Achievement program started in 2010 and the day consists of a three-hour block where students are bused to a location they indicated having interest in seeing. About 1,300 Lakota 8th graders participated during the Feb. 14 tours and a similar number will also be part of another tour day in March.
The program works both ways, said Lucio, in that it allows businesses and community agencies an opportunity window to reach out to local schools.
“This is a really easy way for local businesses to become involved with their local schools,” she said.
West Chester Police Officer Michelle Berling, who coordinated the tours for three years, said the advantages for the students and police are many.
“They are so excited about coming here. They get to pick what business they go to so all these kids picked to come here,” Berling.
“They ask very high-level questions. Stuff you wouldn’t think you’d get from middle school kids and some of them really make you think because you never really thought about it in the way they ask it,” she said.
The pay off in the long-way shows itself in police-community relationships, she said.
“It’s very beneficial and kids can go home and talk to their parents about what they learned. It’s really neat to see that because these kids are going out in the community and letting everyone know what they have seen and experienced,” said Berling.
William said “I think it’s definitely a lot better way to see what you want to do in life instead of just reading up on careers. To see how it works and what the career is about.”
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