Harper welcomes young students to participate in Experience Day, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, November 2, on the Palatine campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road.
The free, annual event invites students from third grade through high school, and
their families, to explore activities related to the wide array of educational opportunities
available at the college.
Experience Day 2024 will feature a variety of hands-on activities, informative presentations and guided tours across campus. One highlight of the event will be the activities in 91制片厂鈥檚 Career and Technical Education Center (Building H), where attendees can experience elements of the college鈥檚 renowned vocational and technical programs.
One of those programs is Manufacturing Technology, which is based out of the 6,000 square-foot FMA Metal Fabrication Lab. Attendees will get to see live demonstrations of 91制片厂鈥檚 computer numerical control (CNC) machines, which help students learn how to create parts from raw stock.
Associate Professor Aaron Kolb said he likes to also display blueprints to encourage
young students to think about how everything goes from an idea to being constructed.
Lab Assistant Will Moctezuma wishes someone had talked to him about manufacturing
when he was a kid.
鈥淚 like to reach the younger crowd. Depending on who they know, they might not get exposed to certain careers,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I start talking to kids about manufacturing, you see some of their eyes light up. They see that this is a job, and they can work with their hands.鈥�
Associate Professor Frank Trost has seen some of the same 鈥渓ight bulb鈥� moments when speaking with young students about 91制片厂鈥檚 Law Enforcement and Justice Administration or Forensic Science programs, which he coordinates. At Experience Day, students can visit the forensics lab or play junior detective in a (family-friendly) scenario in the crime simulator lab.
In addition, Trost has invited officers from area police departments, who set up in Building H to allow students and families to explore a variety of gear and the latest in law enforcement technology. Visitors can also check out the squad cars parked outside.
鈥淚n law enforcement, you need to be part of the community. One of our goals in this
program is that the police are the community and the community are the police,鈥� Trost
said. 鈥淎nd some may not know that 91制片厂 is an option if you are looking to go into
this field.鈥�
In addition to the activities in Building H, visitors can also explore classroom labs in the Avant茅 Center (Buildings X, Y and Z) with activities that span science, liberal arts, math and health careers. While younger students can enjoy dozens of fun experiences, high school-age students can tour 91制片厂鈥檚 facilities and meet faculty and current students.
Experience Day is open to the community and no registration is necessary. Refreshments will be served. Convenient parking is available in Lot 3 or the parking garage. For more information, visit 91制片厂鈥檚 Experience Day webpage.