One hundred forty-three sixth-grade girls from Kimball, Foley and Holdingford spent last Wednesday, March 17, at St. Cloud Technical College learning about non-traditional careers. More than 30 sixth-grade girls from Kimball Elementary spent the day moving from lab to lab on the campus participating in hands-on workshops from wel-ding to construction to aeronautics. They also tested water in the Water Environment Technology lab and made a key chain in the Machine Tool lab. The FLIP (Fun Learning-Infinite Possibilities) program is in its second year. Workshop leaders were mostly women, many alumni of the technical college. “This is truly a partnership,” said Jackie Bauer, who helped organize the event. “We received funding from the Kimball Lions Club as well as the Lions Clubs in Foley and Holdingford and the Lioness Club in Holdingford Many area businesses provided food, beverages or materials for the event. “Creative Memories played a crucial role in this event,” said Bauer. A Creative Memories team led one of the half-hour workshops that each girl attended. In that workshop the girls worked on a scrapbook page with a photograph of themselves in their group, a certificate of completion for the day and stickers. “The whole idea is to let the girls know that there are no limits, only possibilities,” said Bauer. The day kicked off with a presentation about water and the environment by the Science Museum of Minnesota. The girls then broke into groups and moved through out the technical college campus to participate in hands-on workshops.
