Jefferson Elementary School students spend time 'working' at local businesses, city

If you ask fourth graders what they want to be when they grow up, you’ll likely hear answers such as “fireman” or “astronaut” and occasionally “professional basketball player.”

But after taking part in a career exploration program last week, fourth-grade students at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau might tell you they want to be a real estate agent, city planner, professional photographer or software developer.

Thanks to the support of First State Community Bank and more than a dozen Cape Girardeau employers, about 50 Jefferson Elementary students had an opportunity to spend part of Friday morning learning about different occupations by spending an hour “on the job” at different businesses.

The students were matched with various employers on the basis of interest surveys they filled out in the spring.

Caelyn Medley, for instance, indicated an interest in health sciences and computer technology. She was one of a half-dozen students who shadowed employees at Codefi.

Cape Girardeau City Clerk Gayle Conrad, left, and Cape Girardeau City Council member Stacy Kinder meet with Jefferson Elementary School students, from left, Ebay James, Martez Aide and Hiei Roberts on Friday in the Cape Girardeau City Council chambers.JAY WOLZ

“I find this interesting because I want to be a neurosurgeon,” Medley said as she shadowed Codefi co-founder Heather Holdman.

A few blocks away, students Iona Avery, Amani Gilyard and Ka’mauria Taylor learned about retailing and interior design from Jerra Hutson and Whitney Reed of Atelier Boutique and Art Van Furniture, respectively.

“All three of the girls talked with us about how important math is,” Reed said. “They know it will be important no matter what business they’re in.”

“I think we have some future retailers here,” Hutson commented. “These girls have good style and appreciate things that are different.”

Meanwhile, at Cape Girardeau City Hall, another trio of Jefferson students — Ebay James, Martez Aide and Hiei Roberts — learned about public service careers from Cape Girardeau City Clerk Gayle Conrad and City Council member Stacy Kinder.

Codefi co-founder Heather Holdman and a group of Jefferson Elementary School students enter Codefi's offices on the sixth floor of the Marquette Tower on Friday in Cape Girardeau.JAY WOLZ

“I want to be a judge,” said Aide as he sat in the City Council chambers holding Cape Girardeau Mayor Bob Fox’s gavel.

Kelley Branch, who coordinates the STREAM (science, technology, research, engineering, arts and mathematics) program at Jefferson Elementary, said the school and First State Community Bank began planning the career exploration project last spring.

“The bank wanted to work on a project that would impact Jefferson Elementary and asked us to bring an idea to the table,” Branch said. “We brought up the idea of pairing students with people in our community who believe in our future and believe in our students.”

The bank not only approved the idea, but decided to invest in it, as well, by paying each student $35 for an hour of “work,” which they received after lunch Friday afternoon at Dalhousie Golf Club.

Five dollars of each paycheck went toward “savings” (each student was given a First State Community Bank piggy bank), “spending” for $20 worth of Jefferson Elementary “swag” from the school store, and “sharing,” with each student giving $10 of his or her paycheck to one of five charitable organizations — SNAP (Stop Needless Acts of Violence, Please), the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, The Friends of Saint Francis, Hope for One More and the American Cancer Society.

“Our students had the opportunity to give back to our community, which is huge, because our goal is really for us to give back to our community as much as our community gives to us,” Branch said.

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