MCC to host fifth annual ‘Career Extravaganza’ event on May 8
Wednesday / May 3, 2017
Marshalltown Community College will host its fifth annual ‘Career Extravaganza’ event next week, featuring career and technical competitions between area high school students. The festivities will take place on Monday, May 8, at the BTC/Construction Building and Dejardin Hall, from 9 am to 1 pm. Approximately 186 students from five local high schools will be competing in business, family and consumer sciences, and industrial tech competitions.
“This is the fifth year of competition, and we can say that the Career and Technical Education (CTE) students get better each year,” says Rod Ball, Director of Special Programs at AEA 267. “These students are preparing for college and career readiness while building the skills they are showcasing, and they have fun doing it.”
The area high schools competing in this event include BCLUW, East Marshall, West Marshall, GMG and Marshalltown. Last year’s winner was West Marshall, which has won the competition three years in a row. Each competition will be judged by members of the college, community, and local businesses. Thirty judges will work from a specific rubric in which they will be grading the students.
The Construction competition (27) will have students assembling sawhorses. Judges will be looking for safety/cleanliness, cut lengths, cut accuracy, fit and overall appearance. This year’s theme for ‘Cupcake Wars’ (52 students) is “music.” As in years past, this competition will judge students on the design, creativity, neatness, and taste of the cupcake. The Welding competition (20 students) will see students work on four different types of welds. Judges will rate pairs on safety processes, weld consistency, location, thickness, and size. ‘Repurpose with a Purpose’ (24 students) will have students select a used fashion, home, or other post-consumer item and repurpose it in a creative way. The Early Childhood competition, titled ‘Focus on Children’ (32 students) will consist of students designing a lesson plan for children between preschool and second grade, and presenting that to the judges.
This will be the second year for the ‘Rapid Interview’ competition (nine students) and the Video Presentation competition (22 students). Students in the Rapid Interview competition will rotate amongst five interviewers spending about five minutes with each judge, answering questions for a typical job interview. Judges will score based upon first impression, professional dress, general attitude, content of answers, and speaking ability. The Video Presentation competition will have students putting together a visual presentation on any topic of their choice. Judges will look for organization, content knowledge, visuals, mechanics, and delivery.
At approximately 11:30 am, after the competitions are over, lunch will be served to all participants. After lunch there will be an awards ceremony. The high school with the most points earned will win the overall competition. In addition, each of the seven career competitions will award certificates to the top schools for that competition and all students will receive a certificate of participation.
The ‘Career Extravaganza’ officially starts at 9 am and is open to the public.