Starting in March, Columbia Public Library will help children explore careers in a unique and hands-on way. On Wednesday, March 1, the library will host Alixe Ingoglia Hemerly, owner of The Flour Child, for a new program that brings local businesses and library patrons together. Although that program, which will take place at 10:30 a.m., is part of Homeschool Happenings at the library, plans are in the works to expand the sessions to the general public.

Heather Beury, operations manager of the library, came up with the idea for the program. "The idea is to partner with local businesses," Beury said. "I am trying to reach out to the community and see how we can bring them in and educate the kids about what they do."

At the March 1 event, bakery owner Ingoglia Hemerly will talk about her background, including her degree in pastry arts, and the children will be able to decorate cupcakes. "With each session, we'd like to offer a hands-on project, something that they might typically do in a day of work at the job," Beury explained.

She noted that she has a son in ninth grade who is starting to consider life after high school, and he inspired the idea for this program. "I wanted to show him that there are opportunities out there if college doesn't fit," she said. "It's OK not to choose college. There are other paths. College is only one option."

She's looking at partnering with a local handyman business, an electrician and a plumber for future sessions. "We'd love to partner with a locally owned pizza place who could show the children how they run the business, and then we could have a pizza party," she remarked. Her goal is to expand the program beyond homeschoolers possibly by this summer. "We would also be open to having kids come to a local business, taking a field trip to see what the business does," Beury said.

Library director Lisa Greybill said the program is a win-win for the library and the town of Columbia. "People need to be aware of what Columbia has to offer," she commented. "We're expanding, and we're undergoing a renaissance. When we partner with businesses in the community, that encourages children to get involved in their community." She said she envisions a possible partnership with the thrift stores in Columbia, teaching children that they can donate clothing or other items they no longer want rather than throwing them away.

The career-themed library program is geared toward children ages 7 to 12, and Greybill noted that it will offer a fun experience even if that's all the kids take away from it. "It's going to make them think, 'Is this a career that might interest me?'" she said. "And if it's not, at least they got to decorate a cupcake."

For more information on the March 1 program, visit https://columbiapubliclibrary.org. Local business owners who would like to participate in future programs may contact the library at info@columbiapubliclibrary.org.