Fifth-graders go to Camp Hyatt

Robert Taylor Elementary students work at hotel resort

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On a recent Friday morning, it was business as usual at the Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas, with 26 small exceptions.

As employees throughout the hotel went about their daily work, they were accompanied by 26 fifth-grade students from Robert Taylor Elementary School, as part of the hotel's seventh annual Camp Hyatt Career Day.

Mike Dickey, director of Human Resources at the Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas, said Camp Hyatt Career Day is a national program that Hyatt initiated years ago.

The Las Vegas location has participated in the program since its inception in 2000.

"It's basically designed to expose fifth-grade students to the hospitality industry," Dickey said. "During Camp Hyatt Career Day they shadow Hyatt employees throughout the hotel. We think it's important to expose them to the hospitality industry at this age -- it's a critical age, before they go to middle school, to see what they want to do."

Dickey said the program also is meant to stress the importance of education. For several years, the Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas has worked exclusively with Robert Taylor Elementary School, in one of Henderson's most economically disadvantaged areas.

"The first reason for working with Taylor Elementary is that it's closest to us, and we want to reach out to the local community," he said. "The second is because it is the lowest income school in Henderson, it is very rewarding for us to work with them."

In addition to Camp Hyatt Career Day, Dickey said the Hyatt regularly donates items, including shampoo, sheets and pillowcases to the school to be given to students and their families.

Prior to Camp Hyatt Career Day, Hyatt officials visited Taylor Elementary and helped the 26 fifth-graders fill out job applications.

Students also had the options of telling Hyatt employees which area of the hotel they wanted to work in -- Dickey said the hotel did its best to accommodate student requests when possible -- and were sized for uniforms.

During Camp Hyatt Career Day, students started their morning with a 15-minute staff meeting with their hotel counterparts, then spent about two hours shadowing employees before having lunch with their career mentors in the Hyatt employee dining room.

Ashley Garcia summed up the most important part of her job shadowing experience at the Hyatt's Front desk with two simple words.

"You smile," she said, then added, "And you check guests in and you check them out. And you always smile."

The 11-year-old worked with front desk receptionist Chenslee Adams, and also learned to answer phones at the hotel and make reservations.

"This experience is a lot of fun," Adams said. "I've participated before and I like to interact with the children. It gives them a feel for what is in the service industry. We're in Las Vegas, and it's all about service here."

Some students, including Carlie Tuckson, 11, learned practical everyday lessons during Camp Hyatt Career Day.

"I learned not to touch the pan while it's hot," he said of his experience shadowing the Hyatt's pastry chefs. Though he hadn't thought about going into the culinary field before, Carlie said his day was "fun and interesting," especially when he helped the Hyatt chefs make caramel apples and chocolate dipped strawberries.

Hyatt pastry chef Andrea Butler said the four students who worked in the kitchen were very serious about their chef's duties.

"Now they all want to be cooks when they grow up," she said. "It's a great program -- I wish I had something like this while I was growing up."

Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas General Manager David Nodelman said his hope was to instill in his student counter-part, Lluvia Tagal, 11, the knowledge that in a workplace like the Hyatt, no one job is more important than any other.

"We hope (the students) have a lot of fun today, and that they learn that everyone working together is what makes the hotel a success," he said. "We come in, and we breathe life into the building."

Nodelman said he also hoped the Camp Hyatt Career Day experience would encourage students to take school seriously.

"It's great to have a snapshot in time of what a certain job is like," he said. "By telling the students about our backgrounds, they better understand how important education and experience are. It's better for them to also understand what we had to do to get here."

Dickey said whether the students who take part in Camp Hyatt Career Day choose to eventually go into the hospitality industry or not, the day is still beneficial.

"This is very exciting for kids -- they get to come to a work place and see what it's all about."

The Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas also participates in the Henderson Chamber of Commerce's annual Career Discovery Day.