Paramount, CA – About 700 Roosevelt Elementary School students practiced CPR techniques, toured police cruisers, learned drawing tricks and listened as local leaders described the power of higher education during Paramount Unified’s fourth annual College and Career Day.

In all, 18 speakers presented during the April 6 event at Roosevelt Elementary School, including Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons, PUSD School Resource Officer and Deputy Mike Abbot, Los Angeles Port police Officer Luis Bautista and local dentist Gilbert Garcia.

Lemons told of the advantages of taking an interest in politics at an early age, while Abbot and Bautista gave tours of their police cruisers, complete with descriptions of their equipment. Several lucky students were also given the chance to operate the sirens on the police cruisers.

Students also took part in interactive demonstrations. Graphic artist Kimberly Dwinnell showed students how she creates her artwork, while CPR practitioners provided a glimpse into the medical field as they simulated CPR on a chest compression dummy from the Paramount High School Health Career program.

“Several of our students came away from the presentations excitedly saying, ‘I’m going to go to college and this is what I have to do to get there,’ ” Roosevelt Elementary School Principal Susan Marilley said. “They were really excited to learn about the college experience and the importance of good grades.”

Students met with the 2017 Paramount High School valedictorians along with El Camino College outreach and school relations representatives, who discussed the importance of obtaining a college education.

“It’s never too early to show our students the wide range of careers and college opportunities that are available to them,” Superintendent Dr. Ruth Pérez said. “Ultimately, we want to show them that the education they receive at Paramount Unified can help them achieve their goals.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

041917_PARAMOUNT_CAREERDAY1: Roosevelt students welcomed speakers from a variety of career fields during College and Career Day on April 6.

041917_PARAMOUNT_CAREERDAY2: Roosevelt students were allowed to tour police cruisers during College and Career Day on April 6.