Thursday, March 22, 2007 Older Editions

Trying jobs on, for size

By April Guilmet

'What do you want to be when you grow up?" It's a question the eighth-graders at West Middle School just might have an answer for after Career Day last Thursday, the annual event where local professionals meet with students to tell them what their jobs are really like.

"Some of them have no idea what they want to do," said parent volunteer Jodi MacDonald. A member of the school's Parent Action Committee, MacDonald has been organizing the event for two years now.

Some of the most popular career choices? "I think the teachers and policemen are always popular," MacDonald said. "A lot of our students seem to want to be teachers when they grow up."

Last Thursday morning, students swarmed around state trooper Michael Provost's table, patiently waiting to try on his special goggles, which allowed students to experience a field sobriety test firsthand. "It gives students an understanding that there are two types of police officers," MacDonald said.

About 175 students got a chance to mingle with two dozen local career folks, who answered all of their prepared questions.

MacDonald said the school tries to encourage a wide variety of guests each year, tending to steer away from inviting the same people two years in a row.

Approximately half of the participants were parents of West Middle School students. "I asked a lot of sixth- and seventh-grade parents. A lot of the eighth-graders don't necessarily want their parents here," MacDonald laughed.

The students later wrote essays profiling their six favorite careers, with information they'd gotten from their interviews.

This year's Career Day guests at West Middle School included Peter O'Kelly, a software-industry analyst; planning director Paul Materazzo; conservation director Robert Douglas; engineer Bob Willard; attorney Deirdre Donahue; veterinarian Hamilton Lincoln; state trooper Michael Provost; Eric Paquette, vice president of Atlantic Bridge and Engineering; Lisa Walters, owner of Walters Solutions Inc.; Amy Riemer, owner of Riemer Communications; Jean Qui, president of Nexcelom Bioscience; Leigh Newton, owner of Izzy's Boutique; David Owen, director of sales for Converse; Kathy Tanner, ultrasound technician; Raichelle Kaller, vice president of marketing for the Savings Bank; Linda Joaquim, mortgage originator for the Savings Bank; Larry Andrews, senior vice president of the Savings Bank; Sgt. John Pathiakis of the Andover Police Department; Jamey Lachaina, fitness professional at Yang's Fitness Center; orthopedic surgeon William Doherty; WBZ-TV news anchor and sports reporter Dan Roche; Jessica Prince, legislative aide to Barry Finegold, state representative; Rita Casper, director of nursing for the Andover Public Schools; Brian McNally, physical education and athletics coordinator for the Andover Public Schools; Crystal Bozek, reporter for the Eagle-Tribune; and this reporter.