In Rosalind Nussman’s eyes, it’s never too early for children to start thinking about possible careers. Even in grade school, it’s all about one word: potential. “Every child has the potential to do something,” said Nussman, the coordinator of the Hudson County Gifted and Talented Program, last week. “One of the goals of our program is to have the students start thinking about the future, what they might want to be when they’re finished with their schooling. We want to introduce them to some interesting things, not just the conventional careers as doctors and lawyers that are generally associated with gifted and talented students.” Nussman, in cooperation with the Hudson County Gifted and Talented Consortium and the Hudson County Schools of Technology, sponsored the 10th annual “Future Work” workshop, held last Tuesday at Hi-Tech High School in North Bergen. Approximately 100 sixth and seventh grade students from six different school districts – North Bergen, Union City, Secaucus, Guttenberg, Kearny and East Newark – were invited to participate in the day-long seminar, where the students were treated to presentations from professionals of different backgrounds. Some of the presentations included radio and television communications, PowerPoint computers, People in Motion dance styles, acting, office skills and even trades like copper tubing and refrigeration. “All done to create an awareness of the technology and skills necessary for future work,” Nussman said. Nussman had her personal favorite presentations. “There was a presentation on cloning, with all the sophisticated equipment,” she explained. “The children were all wearing lab coats and extracting DNA from a wheat germ cell. And there was an entire set of problem solving situations which stemmed from it.” Nussman added, “And there was music on Macintosh, where the children were actually able to create original music on the computer. I know that there were some kids who entered that presentation not knowing a single note and left creating their own music. It was amazing to watch. They were like sponges, absorbing everything so quickly.” Hi-Tech High School teachers instructed the workshops while the school’s students acted as tutors and helpers. “It was a flawless day,” Nussman said. “And it was so nice.” Political aspirations The participants also enjoyed the program. Bianca Perez is a 12-year-old North Bergen youngster and a gifted and talented student from Horace Mann School. As for her future work, Perez already has lofty goals. “I want to be a politician,” she said, without missing a beat. The response brought a chuckle from the reporter. “Every time I tell someone that, they laugh for some reason,” Perez said. “But that’s what I want to do. I think I’ll be very good at it, because I can be very persuasive.” Although there weren’t any political workshops offered, Perez did find one that was to her liking. “I did the dance class and I loved it,” she said. “It was very different from the things that I usually like to do. Plus, I took a drawing on the computer class and that will help me, when it comes to learning the new technology. It taught us all that you can find a job that is fun and that you truly enjoy.” April Jacob, an 11-year-old bundle of energy going on 42, is also in the Horace Mann gifted and talented program. Jacobs spoke of the presentation joyfully, as if she won the lottery. “Everything was fantastic and exciting,” she said. “There were so many things that we can do in the future. We all have to realize that it’s our future. There are ways that we can find a job and still have fun.” Jacobs has her future mapped out as well. “I want to become either a veterinarian or a pediatrician, because I think I have something to offer and I want to be able to give something back,” she said. Jacobs was also impressed with the “Acting through Action” workshop. “Anyone who knows me knows that I love to express myself,” she said. “This workshop had me written all over it.” Jacobs was also part of the future scientists who were working in the cloning and DNA workshop. “One day I learned how to clone things and the next day, it’s on the news, cloning pigs,” she said. “It was amazing.” Both students were happy to be selected for the presentation. “I was actually overjoyed that I was going,” Jacobs said. “It’s important to know that we can be able to do a job while having so much doing it.” “I was glad that I was a part of it all,” Perez said. “It was a fun day.” Nussman believed that the program created immense value for the children. “Every kid got to participate in two workshops, but at the end of the day, they watched a videotape of all the other workshops,” she said. “It really was an entertaining day. Some kids have no idea they have the ability to do certain things, unless they have something like this. We try to do something different and it has to be worth it for the kids to want to come. And they want to come.”
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