GRAHAMSVILLE - Thursday, December 22 was an exciting day for 7th and 8th grade students at Tri-Valley.

Their teachers reached out to several local community members about coming into school for the day and their efforts were met with great enthusiasm.

A “workshop” day was planned that focused on career exploration, community service, and hobbies.

Two local forest rangers - Howard Kreft and Nathaniel Shea - joined students for the day to teach about their jobs. Butch Kortright from the Sullivan County Long Beards shared his knowledge about the importance of the wild turkey.

The Tri-Valley Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) (under the leadership of Nancy Peters and Brenda Hay), FFA (led by advisor Tara Berescik), and Family, Career, Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) (advised by Mellonee Cappiello and Lynn Malley) all led leadership workshops.

Bringing in animals to talk about their care and maintenance were Karen Coombe and 8th grade student Becky Coombe (rabbits), Amy Carey (ponies), senior Kim Kelly (dogs), and Beth McAndrew (dogs).

Other Tri-Valley employees to put on workshops were Tanya Huggler (“color me calm”), Rich Jones (Local Emergency Medical Technician), Kathy Moran (yoga), and Jim Treloar (computer coding).

Finally, workshops were also put on by Tri-Valley students Colby Costa, Jordan Costa, Brandon Huggler, and Mathew Huggler, along with Liberty's Moo Duk Kwan Academy instructor Ian Constable (Owner/Certified Instructor), Chuck Bragg from North American Energy Services, and Kathy Poppo and students (culinary instructor at Sullivan County BOCES).

The range of careers and opportunities certainly had to be eye-opening for students.