Kinzie Talks At Frontier Career Day

High Prairie Veterinary Services staffer Claire Kinzie spoke to students at Frontier Elementary May 17.

Teacher Marianne Zilkoski Rees organized a career day featuring area professionals who were willing to speak to students and explain the details of their various roles in the community. Professionals also spoke about preparing for careers serving the community, the educational requirements involved and the basic responsibilities of their jobs.

Kinzie has been planning a career in veterinary medicine since graduating from Wolf Point High School in 2022. “I love working with animals,” Kinzie told the Northern Plains Independent during her senior year at WPHS, “I’m definitely an animals’ person.”

Since February, Kinzie has been working with Dr. Heather Grimm and her staff at High Prairie Veterinary Services in Wolf Point. Her goal is certification as a Vet Tech. She said she plans to continue working in the area once her certification is complete.

“I want to continue working with Heather,” she said. “She’s amazing.” Grimm told NPI she recommended Kinzie when Rees approached her about the career day.

Kinzie spoke to several classrooms of students ranging from kindergarten to fourth grade. She and other professionals rotated through classrooms to give students time with as many speakers as possible.

Kinzie said her talks centered on encouraging kids to look at their animals more closely. She said she also discussed her role in the community with High Prairie and local spay and neuter efforts by Wolf Point Pound Puppies and their small group of volunteers.

Other speakers at the May 17 career day included Dr. Mark Zilkoski, Wolf Point Volunteer Fire Fighter Cam Burshia, Fort Peck Tribal Judge Stacy Fourstar, drug agent Raul Figueroa, Trooper Joshua Glover with the Montana Highway Patrol, Nemont’s Jordan Berglee, physical therapist Bethany Legare, nurse Sarah Copenhaver and mechanical engineer Pryce Paulson.