Peterson hosts job shadow day Published April 22, 2008 By Corey Dahl 21st Space Wing Public Affairs PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- For the thousands of employees on Peterson, coming to work everyday is pretty ordinary. But for several dozen eighth-graders, coming to work here April 18 was an adventure. Roughly 50 eighth-graders from Panorama Middle School in Colorado Springs, Colo., visited Peterson as part of the base's annual Junior Achievement Job Shadow Day. The kids spent most of the day observing Airmen doing everything from police work to dentistry to airfield management. "It gives the kids an idea of what it's like to be in the workplace, not to mention the military," said Tech Sgt. Showna Gantt, who helped organize the event. The day was also meant to emphasize how important an education is for the future, Sergeant Gantt said. "We're showing them how all the things they're learning in school - math, English - carry over into the workplace," she said. "Hopefully, that'll inspire them to pay more attention in school." Deanna Sherwood spent the day shadowing the base's Public Affairs staff. She said the event gave her the opportunity to see how one of her favorite hobbies - writing - could translate into a future job. She also learned a lot more about the Air Force and what it does, she said. "My grandfather was in the Navy, but I really don't know a lot about the military," she said. "I got to learn more about what people are doing on the Air Force base, how they help the community."