The second annual Career Day took place on Mar. 22. It was an educational experience for both middle and high school students to learn more about jobs in the community. Many classrooms were filled with representatives from different careers that students got to hear from and ask questions. Prior to Career Day, students got to choose what rooms they would participate in through a survey provided by the counseling and career offices. According to Mrs. Karen Smith, Newport High School’s career and transition coordinator, the counseling and career offices tried to give students sessions in the top three rooms they selected in the survey.
Many careers and organizations were represented at career day this year, such as health-related careers, places that students may want to go to college, careers that had to do with wiring cars, and careers targeted toward students with an interest in construction.
A health department career that participated in the Geisinger School of Nursing. The representatives from the school helped students understand what it was like to begin their careers. Not only that, but they showed what tools that nurses have to be able to use for their jobs. The presenter, Jessica Rogers, made a point to tell the students about how one of these tools worked.
Another career opportunity students interested in health-related careers were directed to was Sisson-Boyer eyecare. The presenter, Kimberly Boyer, went into great detail about what could potentially be wrong with people’s eyes and described what “twenty-twenty vision” is.
The college presentations showed students the perks of attending the given colleges. Additionally, college-bound seniors who participated in career day attended a session with a representative from PHEAA, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, which provides financial aid for students in Pennsylvania. At this session, the representative discussed the FAFSA form, other financial aid options, and general information about going to college.
Another career introduced to the students was mechanical engineering. The company, Maguire’s Ford, showed how students could refill a car’s oil and how efficient it is to know how to do basic maintenance. The volunteers from the company also taught the students what to do if their car happens to break down as well to prevent damage.
Tori Walters, a ninth-grade student, explained her opinion on career day as a whole by saying, “I think it was a very nice experience, it helped me understand and consider a new career which was pretty cool.”
Mrs. Smith said, “Overall, it went very well, we had over seventy-five presenters. This year we tailored the student survey differently to allow students to elect specifically who they wanted to see; every student got at least their top two choices. I think the presenters’ alumni connections were awesome, and each presenter did their own personal touch.” Mrs. Smith also added, “Although the organization went smoother this year, career day is now going to happen every other year due to how much community and business engagement has to be done.”
