Charles Henderson Middle School held its annual Career Day featuring numerous career fields and a helicopter landing by the Air Evac Lifeteam.

Wednesday’s career day is an event held each year for the eighth grade students at CHMS, and many of those students showed enthusiasm as the helicopter made its landing on the school’s football field.

After the Air Evac Lifeteam landed and turned off its engine, the students were allowed to approach the aircraft, where they were greeted by Carolin Barks, AEL nurse, and Robert Carter, AEL paramedic.

As the students gathered, they learned about the nature of their jobs with AEL and its purpose.

AEL works to deliver assistance to people hurt or injured that need care, providing what aid they can in their aircraft whilst flying victims to advanced medical facilities.

The AEL calls this the “Golden Hour,” or the time frame from the traumatic injury to receiving medical care.

They also let the students know how important it is to receive quick medical care, adding that their trip from Montgomery to Troy only took about 20 minutes.

Both Barks and Carter said they were happy to be part of the career day.

“It’s a great outreach for our company and let’s students know there are a lot of opportunities for them,” Carter said.

The AEL members stressed the importance of fast aid and the benefit of having air delivery to hospitals.

According to Barks, their team is often in rural places and sometimes “the middle of nowhere” because those are the places that need their assistance the most.

She went on to say that their presence is positive for the students and encourages them to finish school and go to college.

Gina Hastings, a business and technology teacher for CHMS, put the event together and says that it is very beneficial to the students.

“It lets them see the aspects of different careers and opportunities they may be interested in,” Hastings said.

According to Hastings there were nine presentations done for the students, and eight of those presentations were from people employed in the county.

According to Hastings, this is to help encourage the young people to stay in Troy.

Jamarion Barrow, one of the students attending the career day, said that he was glad that his school was able to offer this kind of opportunity for him, and that he learned a lot.

“There’s many jobs to choose from and you can have fun while doing them,” said Barrow.

Barrow said his favorite presentation was by Sanders Trucking, because he enjoyed seeing the transfer truck.

Leading that display was Johnny Blair, who works in the safety department of Wiley Sanders Trucking.

Students were able to climb inside the transfer truck and explore its inner workings and blow its horn.

“By the sound of that horn, I think they really enjoyed it,” Blair said.

Blair’s presentation was among several being displayed outside, along with that of Gary Pruitt from Bill Jackson Chevrolet and Mike Rhodes, lieutenant from the Troy Fire Department.

But there were also presentations being done inside, including those from a judicial standpoint.

Clif Hastings gave his speech to a class about being a lawyer and Jeff Kelly talked about his job as circuit court judge.