6/14/17
Today I was asked to talk about my profession at P.S. 38’s career day. I delightfully accepted and informed the guidance counselor that I have not one, but two professions to talk about! I was excited about this event since I found out about it a week ago, and the day finally came. Before I came into my first classroom, I didn’t really have a well-thought out plan about how I will present myself. “I’ll just wing it,” I thought. Besides, they are kids in elementary school, how stressful can it be?
In fact, due to a combination of the day’s summer heat, lack of ventilation/air conditioning, and my nature to get nervous at public speaking engagements, I was feeling extremely uncomfortable, at first. My palms and forehead were sweaty and clammy, and my heart was beating in my chest. But as I began to engage the kids with interactive questions, I became more and more at ease and was gaining confidence. I was steering the conversation by asking leading questions. By the time I spoke with my second class, I had the teachers chiming into the conversation as well.
In the process of me sharing what I do as a pharmacist and herbalist, we talked about diet and exercise. We spoke about healthy foods, allergies, and how to spend more time outside and in nature. It surprised me that some of the third graders knew more than the fourth and fifth graders, and that almost no one knew what a protein was! But overall, the kids were endearing and knew what was good for them and what wasn’t. One boy was concerned about his diet and weight, and everyone said in unison that the lunch food was junk food. Change is possible if we educate children from a young age, and instill good eating habits and, more importantly, provide good quality food options in schools. I was inspired because I felt they soaked up my message and will learn something for the future. I definitely want to do more talks and inspire others!
