CBS 6 anchor GeNienne Samuels joined professionals from across the Richmond area to give students a hands-on opportunity to learn about a variety of careers and imagine where their own interests could one day take them.
Samuels brought a piece of the CBS 6 newsroom experience to the school, complete with a teleprompter, microphone, and a sample newscast.
Students took turns trying out roles commonly seen during a television broadcast, including news anchor, meteorologist, and sports reporter. For many, it was their first opportunity to read from a teleprompter and experience what it's like to deliver the news in front of an audience.
Samuels spent time with students from nearly every grade level throughout the day. Along with career exploration, there were plenty of memorable moments, including an impromptu rendition of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" by some of the younger students.
Broadcast journalism was just one of many professions represented at the event.
Students also learned about careers from dentists, landscapers, firefighters, EMS personnel, antique car restorers, and other professionals who shared insights about their work and the paths that led them to their careers.
Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers served as a sponsor of the Career Day event, helping support an experience designed to expose students to a wide range of career possibilities as they begin thinking about their futures.
For Samuels, the event also carried a special personal connection.
Career Day was organized in part by Ramon Moore, who shares a longstanding connection with the Samuels family. Years ago, Moore was a student of Samuels' late father, Gerard Samuels, an educator. The two later became fraternity brothers.
That relationship made the day especially meaningful for Samuels, serving as a full-circle moment that reflected her father's lifelong commitment to education and mentoring young people.
Career days provide students with an opportunity to see that the professionals they encounter every day were once students themselves with their own interests, questions and aspirations.
Whether students left J.L. Francis Elementary School inspired to become a dentist, first responder, landscaper, entrepreneur, television journalist or pursue a career they have yet to discover, the message was clear: the future is full of possibilities.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
