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Students visit Barnes and explore career paths





By Erin O'Connor

Staff Writer



WESTFIELD - On April 25 and 26 the 104th Fighter Wing hosted its Fourth Annual High School Exploration Tour where hundreds of students from 12 area high schools participated in a career-focused visit of the Air National Guard Base.

"It opens up the door for a career path and an educational path," Angela Nunes, career and guidance councilor at Westfield High School said to Reminder Publications.

Event organizers worked with local high school guidance counselors to match the students' long-term interests with the careers at the 104th Fighter Wing.

"We give them the option for different areas we have. It is a first come-first-serve basis," Technical Sergeant (TSgt) Ernest Smith said.

After viewing displays from more than 35 military fields, the students shadowed professionals from one of eight distinct career fields that included medical, communications, aviation, civil engineering, avionics, food services, vehicle and aircraft maintenance.

While some students wandered through exhibits that demonstrated weapons, artillery and engines, other students were fascinated by A-10 jets moving around the base.

"It helps me relate to aviation technology and planes," Christopher Peek, a student said of the career day. "It looks hard," he added.

Casey Walsh, a security forces member standing next to a table of artillery, had one of the more popular exhibits at the base as students flocked to handle and ask about weapons on the table.

"All the equipment is normal protocol in the field," Walsh said.

"It is an opportunity to see a whole variety of employment opportunities within communications and in military," Kathryn Chandler, a career facilitator for Southwick High School said. "Everyone thinks they want to be a pilot but for every pilot there are hundreds of supporting persons."

Some students saw the event as; "a day out of school" while others took a more serious approach.

One student, whose step-father works for a for technical industrial products company, expressed interest in the day's technical side. "I wanted to see the military side of aircraft maintenance rather than the civilian," Ben Beaumieu, student at Minnechaug High School and currently enlisted in the Air National Services said.

Other visitors echoed the sentiments of Moses Pagan, "It is something to think about," the high school student said.