KC-area students explore government work

More than 3,000 students from Kansas City-area middle schools and high schools got a glimpse of public service careers during the first-ever CORE4 Youth Career Expo held Tuesday at Bartle Hall. The students came from roughly four dozen schools.

Hosting the event were the metropolitan area’s four core local governments — the city of Kansas City, Mo.; Jackson County, Mo.; Johnson County, Kan; and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan. Other municipalities on hand included Gladstone, Lee’s Summit, and Shawnee.

Exhibitors included emergency-response personnel, human service agencies, parks staff, and public works departments. Some scenes from the day are below.

Wilbur Dunnell, aka “Dr. H20,” brought along some purification equipment from the Kansas City Water Services Department, where he works as a senior chemist. One of the listeners, 18-year-old Miranda Brewster (far left), a senior at Blue Springs South High School, was all ears. “Science wraps around the world, basically,” she gushed, before apologizing for being so animated. “I get very passionate when I talk about science.”

Wilbur Dunnell, aka “Dr. H20,” brought along some purification equipment from the Kansas City Water Services Department, where he works as a senior chemist. One of the listeners, 18-year-old Miranda Brewster (far left), a senior at Blue Springs South High School, was all ears. “Science wraps around the world, basically,” she gushed, before apologizing for being so animated. “I get very passionate when I talk about science.”

Wilbur Dunnell, aka “Dr. H20,” brought along some purification equipment from the Kansas City Water Services Department, where he works as a senior chemist. One of the listeners, 18-year-old Miranda Brewster (far left), a senior at Blue Springs South High School, was all ears. “Science wraps around the world, basically,” she gushed, before apologizing for being so animated. “I get very passionate when I talk about science.”

Sam Collins, 16, left, and William Schaffer, 15, both sophomores at Staley High School in Kansas City, North, inspected an ambulance from the Kansas City Kansas Fire Department. “It is really small. It’s not as big as it seems (from the outside),” William said.

Sam Collins, 16, left, and William Schaffer, 15, both sophomores at Staley High School in Kansas City, North, inspected an ambulance from the Kansas City Kansas Fire Department. “It is really small. It’s not as big as it seems (from the outside),” William said.

Sam Collins, 16, left, and William Schaffer, 15, both sophomores at Staley High School in Kansas City, North, inspected an ambulance from the Kansas City Kansas Fire Department. “It is really small. It’s not as big as it seems (from the outside),” William said.

Jesus Isidor, 14, left, and Samuel Ortiz, 15, a freshman and sophomore, respectively, at Olathe North High School, got some information from Overland Park firefighter Brian Minick, who piqued their interest by telling them the department pays bonuses for personnel who are fluent in Spanish.

Jesus Isidor, 14, left, and Samuel Ortiz, 15, a freshman and sophomore, respectively, at Olathe North High School, got some information from Overland Park firefighter Brian Minick, who piqued their interest by telling them the department pays bonuses for personnel who are fluent in Spanish.

Jesus Isidor, 14, left, and Samuel Ortiz, 15, a freshman and sophomore, respectively, at Olathe North High School, got some information from Overland Park firefighter Brian Minick, who piqued their interest by telling them the department pays bonuses for personnel who are fluent in Spanish.