Family medicine physician Dr. Jaclyn Barnard talks with McNeil Elementary students during the McNeil Elementary Career Day on May 3, 2024.

McKinney, Texas – The kids all wanted to see the Bobcat do its thing. To be clear, not a wild, feline bobcat; rather, the ubiquitous construction machine known as the Bobcat whose habitat spans work sites across Texas—and whose population surely outnumbers its furry namesake.

It was career day at McNeil Elementary, and there was something for everybody, a chance to learn about careers ranging from heavy equipment operator to doctor to chef to videographer to florist—and points in between.

The Bobcat demonstration was a crowd favorite during the McNeil Elementary Career Day.

“At McNeil, we’ve been thinking about doing a Career Day for a few years,” said McNeil Principal Tracy Meador. “We got together a couple of months ago with our PTO president and started planning it, and it just all came together beautifully,”.

They connected with local businesses such as Chick-Fil-A and H-E-B and family members of students and former students whose volunteer spirit resulted in 12 career stops for McNeil kids to rotate through. Counselor Dawn Jones helped coordinate and guide the effort, and she said that she wanted to include careers that might be new to their students, that they hadn’t already learned about in class.

“I wanted to see the kids have an experience that they might not get anywhere else,” she said. “I just wanted to spark their interest.”

At the H-E-B booth, students eagerly engaged in discussion about careers.

As the students made way around the school in groups with career passport cards to be stamped at each career station, toting bags donated by H-E-B, it was clear that different careers resonated with different kids.

But, when they reached the construction station set up along the east side of the school, and Buddy Flaherty fired up the Bobcat and began raising and lowering its front bucket and maneuvering about, it stole the show—even among the adults.

And, while many of these students may not pursue a career in construction or heavy equipment operation, some of them might have been inspired to do just that. Or at other stations to become a florist or doctor or to join the ranks of our military.

“One of the things that I love hearing them say every time they see me is, ‘Ms. Jones, thank you so much. We love this!’” said Jones. “So that’s been such a joy. I hope they take away just one little tidbit, one little thing about a career that might inspire them in high school or beyond.”

More McNeil Career Day Photos

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