Parke Heritage Middle School Students Experience Truck Driving Simulation
On Monday, Bree Desmith, a student at Parke Heritage Middle School, had the chance to try a simulator that provided a glimpse into the life of a professional truck driver.
Guided by the simulator and Allyson Hay, a real truck driver, Desmith navigated the experience, though she humorously noted that she “crashed” during the simulation. Despite this, she found the experience educational and exciting, describing it as “kind of scary” but also enjoyable.
Desmith was one of several students from Parke Heritage Middle School and high school who participated in the visit to the Women in Trucking (WIT) Educational Trailer. This trailer featured interactive kiosks, informative wall murals, and the driving simulator, all aimed at engaging students in the trucking industry.
The Women In Trucking Association, established in 2007 as a non-profit organization, aims to increase women’s employment in the trucking sector, celebrate their achievements, and reduce barriers they face within the industry, as stated on their website. Bonnie Beth Brewer, a professional driver with Walmart’s private fleet, is also an ambassador for Women in Trucking and actively participates in the WITney program.
The educational trailer travels to various school events, job fairs, and other gatherings to highlight the career opportunities available to women in the trucking industry. Brewer emphasized that opportunities in this field extend beyond driving roles, encompassing positions such as technicians, mechanics, operations, and logistics, which are still considered non-traditional for women. The organization also offers scholarships to support aspiring female professionals.
Recent industry changes have made it possible for truck drivers to enjoy more home time, according to Brewer. Parke Heritage Principal Bruce Patton remarked that the Women in Trucking visit provided a valuable opportunity for students to explore career options they might not typically encounter.
Among those who attended was Emma Simpson, a senior at Parke Heritage High School and the first female student to enroll in the commercial driver’s license (CDL) program through Parke Heritage CDL Trucking School, now in its third year. Simpson aims to inspire more students, both girls and boys, to pursue the CDL path. “I’m glad I could be the first person to do it,” she said, while also expressing her excitement about attending Marian University in the fall and her desire to motivate others to take bold steps toward such careers.
Also participating in the WITney trailer experience was seventh-grader Kimberly McKee, who noted that operating the truck simulator proved to be more challenging than she initially thought, remarking, “It’s not as easy as it looks.”
