“I feel sorry for the parent who has to go after this,” said North Royalton Fire Chief Robert Chegan, Jr., following the Career Week presentation of Albion Elementary mom Tina Duman.
Duman, a pediatric flight nurse educator with Akron Children’s Hospital and mother of third grader Liam Duman, turned Career Week on its head May 17 when she directed the helicopter landing of Air Bear on school grounds. Air Bear is the pediatric rotor wing aircraft that has the important duty of transporting critically ill and injured children to hospital facilities. It comes equipped with tools to ease a child’s fears and is specially painted with a teddy bear and stars.
The landing is the first of its kind for not only Albion Elementary School’s annual Career Week event, but also the city, Chief Chegan said. Third grade teacher Rachel Tarnowski helped bring the event to life for students and staff following her classroom call-out for Career Week presenters.
“It’s really awesome that everyone came together to coordinate this,” Tarnowski said.
And by everyone, Tarnowski is referring to building and district staff, city safety officials and crew, and staff of Akron Children’s Hospital. To help pull off the helicopter landing for Career Week, city safety crews followed protocol to mark off a designed area within the school parking lot so the helicopter could safely land. Albion Elementary School actually doubles as a landing zone for hospital helicopters, Chegan said. There are seven zones scattered throughout the city.
Minutes before the helicopter approached, the children were directed to move even further back from the landing zone because of the gravel and debris field that would kick up as the aircraft approached the asphalt parking lot. When the roar of the Air Bear helicopter finally did make its appearance in the sunny sky, the children cheered and clapped excitedly.
“My mom saves lives,” Liam said, when asked to describe what his mother did for a living. Liam has hopes of becoming an inventor.
Duman wasn’t the only one to earn the “Coolest Parent Ever” award. Career Week also featured a visit from former Cleveland Browns player turned WKYC Sports Analyst Josh Cribbs, who stressed the importance of staying in school and receiving an education. Third graders also heard from Sujatha Srinivasan, an Indian Classical Dance Artist and Teacher, Myriam Bellflower, a flight attendant for United, Michael Shiplett, the President of Citizens Bank, Donna Vance, a Graphic Artist and Illustrator, and Pat Palmiero, a Mechanic and Business Owner, among others.
Career Week is a time of great pride and excitement for children, who may not immediately make the connection between education and career.
“In social studies this year, we have discussed how people choose their careers in America, and how careers can help students earn money for their needs and wants,” Tarnowski said. “The goal of Career Week is to help students realize there are many choices for them as they continue on with higher education to pursue different careers throughout their lives.”
By SARA MACHO HILL
Contributing Writer