“What’s your favorite part of your job?” one 5th grader asks the morning that Kare 11’s meteorologist Mace Michaels visits LCA’s 5th grade classes. Each student leans forward with excitement and energy, and many students can’t help but raise their hands in earnest to ask the next question.

Michaels says his favorite part of his job is to just sit down in the morning and figure out the forecast, and then he turns to the adults in the room and with a smile says, “But I like my job more when I’m right!”

Students have all sorts of wonderings as Michaels explains how radar works, the technology behind wind and humidity meters, and even the weather balloon that launches twice daily in Chanhassen for the metro area. At this mention, Mrs. Albinson excitedly jumps in to tell students that she has a recovered weather balloon that they will look at in the coming weeks. Students are abuzz at the prospect of seeing a real (decommissioned) weather balloon in their own classroom. 

Michaels is a freelance meteorologist who works for Kare 11, Fox9, KSTP, and his weather forecast is broadcasted to over 50 radio channels. However, when Michaels points to his branded MN Twins polo and slyly says that he is also the MN Twins Meteorologist, about ten hands shoot up to ask which players he has seen and when, how often he talks to the players, and who’s his favorite Twins player. Michaels takes each question in stride and answers with an energy that is characteristic of the morning weatherman on the news. 

Students also ask insightful questions like why people should watch the news when they can just get their information on their phones. Michaels applauds such a critical question and thoughtfully answers, “When I am crafting the weather forecast for the day, I am making a forecast for right here. I have a brain unlike the computer, and even though the computer is kind of right, I can make the forecast even better.”

Even the adults in the room can’t argue with that claim. 

At the close of question time, Mrs. Albinson turns to the class and expresses not only her deep gratitude for their guest speaker but also the importance of learning about all sorts of career options at a young age. She says, “Even in 5th grade you can start to figure out who you are and who God made you to be, and that might just be a meteorologist.”