This year Career Day was highly eventful and filled with amazing people who made their dreams into a reality. There were a variety of professions that were showcased to students to spark their interest in multiple career fields. In attendance at the Institute for Health Professions 2024 career day were Renah Stewarts who is a licensed FDNY, EMT, Andrew Grant a licensed financial professional, Debra Riccardi who is an Assistant professor and program director. There were over 20 presenters that came to our school for career day and every one of them highlighted different aspects of the work world in various fields of work. However, out of all the fields that were presented during our career day I was extremely impressed and fascinated by 3 unique individuals who paved a path for themselves. To start, Susan Powell currently works as an early intervention teacher, bring her presentation she shared with us that she started volunteering at a physiatric hospital to gain experience and explore jobs within the psychiatric field of work. Within the physiatric hospital, she worked in a single classroom at the age of 17, that taught students from ages 5-18 years of age. Through this experience, she learned that she wanted to advocate for children with disabilities. She then went to college to earn a degree in psychology to pursue her passion for helping kids with developmental disabilities. Later in her career, she started working at an early intervention program that helps kids from infancy to 3 years of age. She explained that some babies are born with disabilities like Down syndrome or mental illness due to genetics or endangerment from the mother during pregnancy. To help the kids within this program she does play therapy with the children, which includes sensory play. The kids play with bubbles, play dough, shaving cream, and other stimulating toys that stimulate their minds. If laps in development occur around the age of two and the child starts showing signs of autism or a mental illness, the pediatrician usually recommends an evaluation for the child. Although this entire process can be difficult for the parents an early intervention teacher’s job is to help the child and their parents through the process and be supportive. Susan Powell has worked for 25 years as an early intervention teacher and she continues to change the lives of children who have disabilities every day by giving them a voice.
Next is Tanasia Poke who is an Author, ecospirituality Coach, & Nation Grid Natural Gas Connections Manager. She is a multifaceted woman who wears many hats and inspires young people to Perseus there there dreams. When asked what advice she would give young people today she said “Find a career that combines your wellness, interest, and your passions” She wants the younger generation to find something they love and pursue it even if it may seem trivial as long as you find enjoyment in it, you will always be successful. Tanasia Poke grew up in Queens Village and works as a manager at Nation Grid Natural Gas Connections, she works as a leader on a team helping bring energy into almost every building within New York City. She also advocates for going green and wants to be a vital part of NET 0 which is an initiative to reduce the world’s carbon emissions She loves her job because she gets to help the people in her community that she loves dearly. Tanasia is the youngest, african american woman to be put in her position at Nation Grid, and she is also the author of “Surrendering to Soft Living: A Guide to Discovering the Soft Power of Divine Femininity”.
Lastly, Ms.Vera Stokes is the Director of Social Work at NANBPW. Inc, she is a very intelligent woman who pursued her passion for helping others in need. Ms.Vera got her bachelor’s and master’s from Stony Brook College and has been working as a social worker for 40 years. Ms.Vera grew up very poor and less fortunate than others, she used her brains and ambition to get through college and became a successful social worker. Ms. Vear has demonstrated Gritt and perseverance in overcoming her environmental challenges, she did not let her upbringing determine her rate of success and used it as fuel instead of allowing it to hold her back, through her message and living testament, she was able to show my classmates that anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it. Ms. Vera explained that anyone can benefit from speaking to a social worker especially if they are suffering from mental health issues or applying for college. Many teens today struggle with identity, drug abuse, family issues, and transitions from high school to college within their lives and need someone they can open up to what they are feeling. Social work is a broad field and you can find a social worker in schools, hospitals, institutions, etc. Social workers have a unique health spectrum helping people from infancy to death and they overall help you overcome any life issue you are facing. Unlike a therapist a social worker does not require special individualized mental screenings, instead, they see you right away without an extensive process and help you resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
To conclude, this year’s career day at the Institute for Health Professionals has been very inspirational for me and many of my classmates. Getting a glimpse into what life will be like after high school through the lens of a successful adult helps motivate me, to keep pursuing my dreams and never feel that my dreams are too great for me to one day accomplish.
