The 8th Grade Career Expo is a collaborative effort between Eastman Chemical, the Kingsport Chamber and Junior Achievement of the Tri-Cities. The event is designed to expose 8th grade students in the Putting Children First partnership to a variety of occupations and topics of interest. Students need to know what jobs may be available to them when they graduate

Dr. Mark Pollock (NSTCC Professor) Presents Exciting Chemistry Demos to the 8th Grade Students

and what educational requirements are needed to obtain these jobs. This experience may spark their interest in a future career or make them aware of options they did not know exist.

While at the Career Expo, students attend a TN/VA Scholars presentation which encourages students to complete high school courses that provide a fundamentally sound academic education. Such a curriculum emphasizes "on level" and above courses in mathematics, science, social studies, language arts (including foreign language), and computer literacy. Only with these courses can students compete in the high technology global economy of the 21st century. Attendance, citizenship (80 hours of community service), and good behavior are also requirements of the TN/VA Scholars program.

After the TN/VA Scholars presentation, approximately 2,000 students rotate through various business clusters during the 4 day event listening to presentations related to human services, health sciences, business and marketing, arts and communications, and engineering and technology. Students also learn about work ethics, basic finance, salary expectations, job interview skills and internet safety awareness.

*Participating schools that cancelled due to the weather this year: New Horizons, Holston Middle, Mary Hughes Middle, Sullivan Middle, Bulls Gap, Church Hill Middle, Blountville Middle and Surgoinsville Middle*