It was Adulting Day at Lumpkin County High School on Friday, and just as the name suggests, the senior class had the opportunity to learn many different skills associated with becoming an adult.
"When kids graduate these days...a lot of them go off to college. Either way, they're going to have to have certain adult skills to be successful," said Paula Cooper, work-based learning coordinator for LCHS. "We want to make sure that the kids walk away with some skills that will help them with their everyday life."
There were a total of five stations located throughout the school, each devoted to a different aspect of “adulting.” Groups remained at each station for an hour and then rotated.
Inside the gym were three sections relating to home maintenance. One section taught students a little bit of electrical work, such as how to change a light fixture. Another section was for learning some useful plumbing skills, and the last one demonstrated how to find a stud and patch a whole in drywall.
And the home maintenance station, as with each of the stations, gave students the opportunity to be hands-on and practice the skills they were learning. Students also took tools relating to the topic of each station with them when they left.
Just above the gym was a station devoted to cooking skills. Students learned a brief lesson about cooking safety, and then cooked a meal on their own. An instructor demonstrated cooking the recipe nearby so students could follow along.
A nearby hallway was the location for clothing care. Split up between four classrooms were lessons on washing and folding clothes, ironing and even sewing.
One the other side of the school was a station instructing basic CPR and health skills. At one table an instructor showed students different types of medication and their purpose. Another table was for the demonstration and practice of performing the Heimlich maneuver on an infant, while another table nearby taught the same for an adult.
The first aid station also taught students how to handle an AED and an EpiPen.
Just down the hall from the first aid was the station designated as automotive repair. In this area created for automotive classes, students learned important skills such as how to change a tire, check their oil and add more coolant.
Cooper said that school staff and creators of the event hope that it will teach students skills they can use for the rest of their life.
"We're hoping that our kids feel confident when they leave today. Confident that they're ready to take that next step in their life," said Cooper.
Staff members from the high school and even some members of the community volunteered to help teach at the different stations.
Fellow seniors also assisted with teaching skills, as was the case with Levi Seabolt at the first aid station.
"It makes me feel really good I could help save someone's life through them [the students]," said Seabolt.
Levi said that the skills he learned on Friday will be especially useful to him as he prepares to graduate high school and go into college.
"I've done a little bit of my laundry before, but I didn't know how to separate my clothes good with like towels, darks, whites and everything...and that could really help one day," said Seabolt.
The event lasted most of the school day Friday, with a break for students to eat lunch at 12:30 p.m.
And no doubt after a long day of learning new skills, the Lumpkin County High School class of 2020 feels better prepared to take on the rest of their adult life.