I. S. 49 Hosts Career Day

By Hawa Barbar & Aaleiyah Kennedy

On March 20, the eighth graders of I.S. 49 were welcomed to a Career Day. We were first asked to “dress for success” and students (and teachers!) really looked their best. What we didn’t know was that there were a lot of representatives from every day jobs already waiting to meet us at the fair.

Downstairs in the gym there were many people representing their careers from police officers and firemen to lawyers and reporters. We met up with a very important person and thought it will be very nice to interview her; she is Miss New Jersey.

Miss New Jersey, Amy Polumbo, was excited as we walked over to greet her. She asked us for our names and the interview began. We asked her multiple questions and she answered each one with enthusiasm.

We asked her what she thought about career day at I.S. 49 and she said, “I think it is a wonderful opportunity for the eighth graders to talk to all different people in all different kind of careers”.

She also told us what the Miss America pageant is all about. “Miss America is a Scholarship organization.” When she was little she never thought of being Miss New Jersey. She ended up winning at her very first try.

As well as her interviews, she gave us all great advice when signing autographs. Her signature autograph comment states, “Best wishes. Always be true to you.”
After speaking with Ms. Polumbo we walked around the rest of the gym. We talked to members of the Curtis Nursing Program, Officer Pamela Smith of the NYC Police Dept, the NYC Fire Department and the city Sanitation Department.

I.S. 49 Alumni Malombe Toure, who is a Curtis High School Nursing students, was also at the fair, as well as and a writer from the Daily News. For Class 820, reporter Bill Farrell was a favorite at the fair since we had the pleasure of meeting him at the Dakota Diner at the Daily New s Breakfast Club meeting in November.

In the end we really didn’t wanted to leave, because we were getting so much information from these people about careers and how they started up their own career.

We received many pamphlets and in formation about different careers. Many of us left the fair having a better idea of what we wanted to be when we grow up. It was a great success to have that experience and we’re hoping to have that again. We can’t wait to Dress for Success in the near future.