New Prague High School hosted its second annual Career & Tech Day, Thursday morning, Oct. 2, in the high school’s auditorium, gymnasium and back parking lot. There were 55 area businesses that participated.
The event showcased community employers and provided sophomores and juniors a high-impact, effective, and efficient day to explore various career areas, said principal Brian Thorstad.
Many students were able to talk with business representatives in the gymnasium, while others were able to get a bit of hands on experience with demonstrations in the parking lot.
Jeremy Dorick of Superior Steel Erectors was giving students a chance to run a small fork lift. He provided guidance on how students could lift a pallet from the ground and onto a couple of sawhorses and then put the pallet back on the ground.
Among those taking part was junior Dan Price, who joked, “I felt like a man for the first time in my life.” He added, “It was interesting, a bit nerve-wracking, but fun. It’s something where I can say, ‘I got to do that.” He thought he would probably be good at it and a good skill to have if he was interested in construction.
“It was nerve-wracking, but thrilling,” said junior Olivia Brimhaul after operating the fork lift. She has seen people operate fork lifts where she works, WINCO Generators in Le Center. “I think it would be fun to know, although I want to be a veterinarian, but it would be a good back-up skill,” Brimhaul said.
Guest speakers for the program were Nick Slavik from Nick Slavik Painting and Restoration and Maddie Lijewski from Scott Equipment.
“I told the students that sometimes your passion doesn’t hit right away,” said Slavik. There are times when someone finds what...
To see more on this story pick up the October 16, 2025 print edition of The New Prague Times.
