KEARNEY — The 27th Annual High School Career Exploration Day, hosted by the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce and Nebraska National Guard, was attended by 500 area students on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
The Exploration Day was hosted at the National Guard Armory in Kearney as it has been in the past.
Heather Ullman, Program Director with the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce, said the event featured 63 different businesses and organizations and was attended by 20 area high schools and 500 students.
The event has continued to grow year-by-year, Ullman said, with the entire event fitting into the drill room, but spilled out across the building and even extends to outdoor features.
The outdoor attractions included three National Guard vehicles, a weapons display, Kearney Police Department cruiser, a Kenworth vehicle, Nebraska Department of Transportation road grader, a Cash-Wa distribution simulator and two helicopters provided by CHI Health Air Care and Apollo MedFlight.
This year a third panel room, which could hold 100 students, was added for presentations.
In addition to being able to meet with colleges, businesses and employers, the students got to taste the life of the National Guard, as the meal was prepared in an outdoor field kitchen.
The Nebraska National Guard, “does an amazing job,” said Ullman.
Ullman said both the businesses and students, “get so much out of the event.”
Participation wasn’t just limited to the businesses in the booths, but several donations were made that include a Coke dispenser, lanyards from the Kearney Visitor Bureau, mobile hotspots from US Cellular, coffee from Barista’s Daily Grind, a $100 gift card from Walmart, donuts from Dunkin, etc., Ullman said.
With the expansions, Ullman said the event was fluid and people could move around comfortably. She noted they send out a survey after every event to get the thoughts of both the schools and the businesses.
The surveys help to ensure that, “every year is that much better,” Ullman said.
