Experience Day welcomes young students, families to Harper’s campus

Harper College welcomes young students to participate in Experience Day, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, November 2, on the Palatine campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road. The free, annual event invites students from third grade through high school, and their families, to explore activities related to the wide array of educational opportunities available at the college.

Experience Day 2024 will feature a variety of hands-on activities, informative presentations and guided tours across campus. One highlight of the event will be the activities in Harper’s Career and Technical Education Center (Building H), where attendees can experience elements of the college’s renowned vocational and technical programs.

One of those programs is Manufacturing Technology, which is based out of the 6,000 square-foot FMA Metal Fabrication Lab. Attendees will get to see live demonstrations of Harper’s computer numerical control (CNC) machines, which help students learn how to create parts from raw stock.

Associate Professor Aaron Kolb said he likes to also display blueprints to encourage young students to think about how everything goes from an idea to being constructed. Lab Assistant Will Moctezuma wishes someone had talked to him about manufacturing when he was a kid.

“I like to reach the younger crowd. Depending on who they know, they might not get exposed to certain careers,” he said. “When I start talking to kids about manufacturing, you see some of their eyes light up. They see that this is a job, and they can work with their hands.”

Associate Professor Frank Trost has seen some of the same “light bulb” moments when speaking with young students about Harper’s Law Enforcement and Justice Administration or Forensic Science programs, which he coordinates. At Experience Day, students can visit the forensics lab or play junior detective in a (family-friendly) scenario in the crime simulator lab.

In addition, Trost has invited officers from area police departments, who set up in Building H to allow students and families to explore a variety of gear and the latest in law enforcement technology. Visitors can also check out the squad cars parked outside.

“In law enforcement, you need to be part of the community. One of our goals in this program is that the police are the community and the community are the police,” Trost said. “And some may not know that Harper is an option if you are looking to go into this field.”

In addition to the activities in Building H, visitors can also explore classroom labs in the Avanté Center (Buildings X, Y and Z) with activities that span science, liberal arts, math and health careers. While younger students can enjoy dozens of fun experiences, high school-age students can tour Harper’s facilities and meet faculty and current students.

Experience Day is open to the community and no registration is necessary. Refreshments will be served. Convenient parking is available in Lot 3 or the parking garage. For more information, visit Harper’s Experience Day webpage.