Students Look Into Future Careers at Southeast Tech

Dakota Dreams Career Exploration Camp for 7th and 8th Graders

From Keloland

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – This week, middle schoolers from across South Dakota are already getting a glimpse into what their futures could hold.

This group of 7th and 8th graders are visiting Southeast Technical College.

Right now they’re learning all about nursing by doing different hands-on activities.

Test Image — Medical Assistant Instructor, Jolene Penning, demonstrates how to use everyday medical equipment to a group of middle school students.

“At one of the stations they have to put on personal protective equipment, gown, gloves, a mask, shield, and boot covers and take a fake specimen to the lab and come back and take it all off,” nursing faculty, Jennifer Pottratz said. “At the other one, we are trying to help them understand how to give patients specific instructions, especially when they are visually impaired.”

Kyler Kenyon is going to be an 8th graders this year. He says these activities are fun, but not as easy as you think.

“My teammate had to tell me what to eat, I think I dropped a few SweetTarts,” 8th grade, Kyler Kenyon said.

It’s part of the Dakota Dreams Career Exploration Summer Camps, which are free, five day camps offered by the South Dakota Board of Regents.

They’re spending time on university and technical college campuses learning about different options for life after graduation.

“I think one of my favorites has been this one and graphic design, and then we learned math and business, and we also did science and law,” Kenyon said.

There are four rotations students are going through.

Along with nursing, the students are also learning about medical assistants, digital media, and accounting.

“I think it’s awesome to get them thinking about opportunities when they are at this age because they are so impressionable and they can see how many opportunities they have and can be exposed to opportunities they didn’t know were even out there,” Pottratz said.

The camps are hosted on four different South Dakota university campuses. The group we caught up with will also spend time at USD and will also be visiting area businesses.