Story and photos
submitted by
DANA HUNT
First grade teacher,
Criswell Elementary School

First graders at Criswell Elementary enjoyed two exciting days of speakers during career days Thursday, May 22 and Friday, May 23.

The career days completed a community helpers unit, which included a field trip to the post office, police station and fire station earlier in the week.  

The first graders enjoyed a variety of interesting speakers, including an art director for DART, a graphic designer, a Greek professor, nurses, a police officer, and the Forney Messenger’s own Cary Griffin!

Forney ISD’s Dr. Cindy Maris spoke to the group about career options, while Carla Davis, the district’s transportation director, talked about buses and bus safety.

Richard Curry from the Forney Parks Department excited the students with details about the upcoming Community Park complex and splash pad.  Steve Thompson and Robert Gribbon, both Home Depot Managers, awed them with power tools and even had them hammering and painting!  

Michael Burer, a Greek professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, taught a mini-lesson on the Greek alphabet.  Forney Mayor Darrell Grooms spoke about future businesses coming to the city.  Students tried to pry the business names out of him, but he wouldn’t spill, only telling the students to wait for an announcement later in the year.  

Guest speakers showered the students with “freebies”.  Missy Rowland of Graphics and Signs by Missy thrilled the students with custom “Criswell Rocks” stickers.  Students also received Home Depot aprons and make-your-own project kits, coloring books and crayons from DART and a specially designed Frisbee from the City of Forney’s Park Director.

The students and teachers appreciate all the guest speakers who took time to make Criswell’s First Grade Career Days a very memorable experience.