May 16, 2023 — Chardon Schools is grateful to the 26 businesses, organizations and agencies from Geauga, Lake and Cuyahoga counties that served as volunteer career speakers at the 2nd annual Careers on Wheels Day held in the Munson Elementary School parking lot on May 9 for all the District’s grades 1-3 classes — serving over 500 students in all.
This highly successful hands-on event, planned and organized by K-3 counselor Erika Barnett and supported by the Munson PTO, introduces young Hilltoppers to careers and the working world, a career exploration that plays an important role in child development and career readiness.
Career speakers included local law and drug enforcement agencies; trucking, towing, waste removal, construction, septic and excavating companies; pizza and ice-cream shop owners; city service operations; transit providers; and many more.
Some of the volunteers are also parents and family members of Munson Elementary and Park Elementary students, while some work directly in Chardon Schools buildings, including Chardon Police/School Resource Officer Jasen Elam and Chardon Transportation administrators and bus drivers.
What remained constant was all Careers on Wheels speakers brought much enthusiasm and expertise to the day as they shared with students, in consecutive ten-minute rotations over the course of three hours, their personal educational, work and training experiences and what a typical workday looks like in their field. The interactive format allowed students the opportunity to ask questions and, in many cases, tour the vehicles.
Careers on Wheels Day aligns with the Chardon Schools mission of high achievement for all students and the important journey of preparing Hilltoppers for life after high school graduation — namely the pursuit of one or more of the “4E’s” — employment, enrollment, enlistment, and/or pursuit of an entrepreneurship.
Mrs. Barnett first brought career vehicle day to Chardon Schools in 2022. We are fortunate to have her considerable experience having previously organized successful career vehicle days at her prior place of employment in North Carolina.
She stated, “Thank you to our volunteers! We were fortunate to have so many willing participants for this year's event — 26 in all! Many are parents and family members to our Park and Munson students. Various volunteers are wonderful community supporters too. Thank you also to the Munson PTO for providing a donation of refreshments for our volunteers.”
VEHICLES ON DISPLAY / CAREER SPEAKERS 2023
Bentley Excavating — Drew Friel
Best Sands — Dylen Diemert
Big Cheese Pizza — Pizza Shop Owner Lisa Shelton
Chardon Police Department — Officer/SRO Elam and Officer DeLisa
Chardon Schools Transportation — Director Josh Nau / Supervisor Andy Caballero
City of Willowick Service Dept. Snow Plow — Rick Ice
Classic Cars — Steve Sawczak
Cometic Gasket, Inc. — Owner Kristen Damberger
Cruizin Dreams Auto Repair Shop — Mitchell and Garry McClung
Drug Enforcement Administration
Dumpster Bandit LLC — Mark Horvath
Fast Friendly Repair & Towing — Joshua Holstein
Geauga County Transit Bus — JoAnna Santilli and Chris Black
Geauga County Sheriff's Office Jeep/ SWAT — Officer W. Boehnlein and Jaclyn Tryon
Jr. Dragster Race Car — Fleet Manager Ryan Exum
King Kone — Gail Hewitt
Kuhnle Brothers Trucking — Danielle Mosher
Lake County Sheriff's Office — Deputy Sgt. John Kelley
Lake Geauga Sheriff SWAT — Deputy Andrew Humar
Laketran — Jordan Gardner, Glenn Cahill and Dale W.
Matco Tools — Dustin Kocevar
Munson Township Fire/ EMT Rescue — Chief Michael Vatty
North Coast Septic Systems — Jacob Sutter
Ohio State Highway Patrol — Trooper Brian Cannon
Suszynski Construction — Todd Suszynski
UH AirMed — Supervisor Nathan Cleland
Note: Thank you to UH AirMed & Nathan Cleland for volunteering to return to the event this year! They received a call prior to arriving - needing to do what they do best and could not attend. We appreciate their willingness to have been at Careers on Wheels Day if they could.
#WeAreChardon
We believe community connections build stronger schools.
Contact:
Kelly Misch
Communications Director
Chardon Local Schools
440.286.0109