Custer Baker trip shows students professional world of Franklin

From viewing the vault of a bank to walking through the replica of a horse-drawn wagon at the history museum, Franklin’s fifth graders got a taste of what they can do when they grow up.

Trips for Custer Baker Intermediate School’s 380 fifth graders were divided into two days: today and Friday, both visiting the same downtown locations.

Students made stops all around downtown to get a view of careers they could have right in Franklin.

Students toured the Daily Journal office, where they leafed through several sections of the newspaper and learned about the daily life of a reporter, advertising agents, graphic designers and more. They traveled to Franklin City Hall and listened as Mayor Steve Barnett described why he was interested in running for office and the responsibilities that come with leading a city of over 25,000 people.

At the Johnson County Museum of History, Director David Pfeiffer led students through various rooms that depicted different eras in Johnson County’s history, from the pioneer days in the early 1800s to the American Civil War and the 1950s, when population boomed and televisions and classic cars reigned supreme. At Mutual Savings Bank, students got to look inside a vault and were given money jars to take home. They also visited other places like B2S Life Sciences, Franklin Parks & Recreation, the Johnson County Health Department, and the Johnson County Public Library Services Center.

Marci Cornett, who teaches fifth-grade math and social studies at Custer Baker, said the experience will set students up for another trip during the spring semester, when they’ll travel to Junior Achievement of Central Indiana on the northside of Indianapolis. During that trip they’ll participate in a program called BizTown, where they’ll be able to operate banks, manage restaurants, write checks and vote for mayor, according to the website of Junior Achievement USA, which runs BizTown.

Experiences like these can help students get a tangible grasp on the options available to them when they get older, said Madi Purcell, who teaches fifth-grade English and science.

“Hopefully it helps them to start getting their brains working a little bit to help them choose what they want to do at BizTown and then just get some thinking about their future career,” Purcell said.

Today’s excursion can not only open students’ eyes to job opportunities but the chances they have to pursue a career without needing to leave Franklin, said Sam Houston, a special education teacher at Custer Baker.

“I’m just seeing what a great community they have to live in and hopefully they grow up and help improve it,” Houston said. “Talking to the mayor about all the things they can do to get involved with the city, hopefully that leads them to more opportunities to get involved and build a community themselves.”

Barnett works with Franklin Community High School students on the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council. As part of the council, students participate in a community service project, most recently a $300,000 roundabout sculpture at the south entrance of the Franklin Community High School campus, which opened in August.

“Whenever you get to eighth grade, remember that you have an opportunity to get on the Mayor’s Youth (Leadership) Council and be a part of something that’s really neat in the city,” Barnett told the students.

While the fifth graders aren’t quite high school age yet, educational opportunities like these can help students start to understand civic engagement, Barnett said.

“I just feel like it’s important to keep everybody involved in the city and try and get our kids to know a little bit about city government as they move on up the ranks and just educate themselves,” he said. “They can feel free to be able to interact with the city officials and the police and fire (departments).”

Pfeiffer said he discovered his desire to work in museums when he was on a study abroad trip in Rome, Italy. That passion drove him to an internship and employment at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, where he worked before he got an opportunity with the Johnson County Museum of History. If students are able to discover their passion at an earlier age, it will help open them up to even more opportunities in life, he said.

“I always loved history. I got a chance to study abroad in Rome and I saw the difference in my classmates when you were in the classroom versus when you’re on site. They could see the history,” Pfeiffer said. “The younger we can plant that seed, the better options they have. There’s a wide variety of positions available in the museum field and public history field that people might not ever think about.”

Jackson Johnson, a fifth grader, said he was most intrigued by learning about coin counters and the vault at Mutual Savings Bank and how the news gets published at the Daily Journal. Johnson said he wants to be a professional athlete when he’s older, but said Thursday’s experience can help him learn more about what to study in college.

“It can help me in the future when I’m in college and getting a degree,” Johnson said.

Ella Laun, 11, said she enjoyed her visit to the Daily Journal because she has a love for writing and wants to be an author.

“I learned what good jobs would be there for me when I grow up,” she said.

Brayden Hoesel, who wants to be a professional baseball player, said he enjoyed his visit to City Hall and learning about Barnett’s past as a racecar driver. He also enjoyed learning about history at the museum.

“I learned to never give up on your dreams when you really want to do it,” Hoesel said. “But sometimes it doesn’t always work out, so you have to have other dreams that you like.”