Benton Community Schools Partners with City of Blairstown to Host District-Wide Elementary Career Day

Blairstown, Iowa — May 5, 2026 — Benton Community Schools, in partnership with the City of Blairstown, will host a district-wide Elementary Career Day on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Blairstown.

This innovative event will bring together local businesses, community organizations, and elementary students in grades kindergarten through sixth to explore a wide range of local careers, trades, and professions. 

“While Benton Community Schools has hosted career days in the past, this marks the first time the district has partnered with a local community to create a truly immersive, town-centered experience,” shares Anna Selk, Associate Superintendent at Benton Community School District. “We are incredibly proud to provide our students with meaningful opportunities to explore career pathways at an early age, helping them make real-world connections and begin envisioning their futures and options available in our communities. We are thankful for the support from the City of Blairstown as we pursue this for the first time.”

The event is designed to provide hands-on, interactive learning opportunities that allow students to experience the “how-to” of various professions. Organizers are encouraging participating businesses to engage students through demonstrations and activities, helping to make career exploration both meaningful and memorable.

Approximately 40 local businesses and organizations are participating. 

To support the event, a portion of Locust Street in Blairstown will be temporarily closed, allowing for interactive learning stations both inside participating businesses and in outdoor spaces. Students will rotate through stations in small groups of approximately 15–20, creating a personalized and engaging experience.

Kindergarten through third-grade students will participate from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m., followed by fourth through sixth-grade students from 2:00 to 2:45 p.m. Each group will attend two 15-minute sessions, with brief transition times built in between rotations. Presenters will deliver four sessions total.