The month of May is always super exciting for students as they look forward to their summer break, but some second grade Sandpiper Elementary students were eagerly anticipating their field trip to the Sunrise Police and Fire Departments.
The special visit was made possible by the Kids and the Power of Work (KAPOW) program. The highly successful KAPOW program through Learning for Success, Inc. supports career awareness and workplace skills lessons.
“The KAPOW program connects what students learn at school with its application in the workplace, and life,” explained Learning for Success/KAPOW President John Casbarro. “We are proud and honored to be a partner with the City of Sunrise.”
Since 1993, Casbarro expanded KAPOW to reach more than 6,000 students from eighty elementary, middle, and high schools annually. The program exposes students to career opportunities and helps them connect their school experiences to the real world. The unique collaboration between the school district, generous local businesses partners, dedicated volunteers, and eager South Florida schools introduces and exposes students to career awareness through professionally designed lessons taught by volunteers in the classroom and on work sites.
During the field trip, these young Sandpipers had a behind-the-scenes look at two of Sunrise’s very important divisions. They visited the Police Chief’s office and asked questions about his job, explored the jail cells, learned how criminals are processed, how officers get around the city, and how they train and re-train to keep their minds sharp at the firing range, and how they need healthy bodies to do their job at the gym.
“As a Police Chief, I have many responsibilities, but none are as important as molding and teaching the future generation of what it is to be a good police officer. Thank you to the students of Sandpiper Elementary and KAPOW for always reminding us of the importance of education and the power of work,” exclaimed Sunrise Police Chief Anthony Rosa.
The second half of the field trip was at the Sunrise Fire Department. Students began with a hands-on tour of an ambulance and a fire truck and the station. Most importantly, they learned how firefighters work as a team to maintain their living quarters on their 24-hour shifts. Finally, students got to learn about firefighter training and witness how firefighters get to their trucks fast by sliding down the pole.
“The KAPOW program bridges the gap between what students learn at school and how it applies to the real world of work. The program exposes students to various careers they never knew existed and allows them to have practical goals for the future. Our volunteers connect with kids by sharing their pathway to success and becomes a valuable mentor in the classroom,” explained Tania Reynolds, KAPOW Program Director.
KAPOW is always looking for business or individual volunteers, as well as schools interested in participating in the program. For more information about volunteering or how your school can participate, email KAPOW Program Director Tania Reynolds at [email protected] or call 305-338-5548.