ELNORA, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— Juniors and seniors from Barr-Reeve High School and North Daviess Junior-Senior High School explored their next steps during a college and career fair that gave them the opportunity to learn about businesses, colleges, and branches of the military.
Students began the day with four 15-minute round table discussion style sessions to talk with and learn more about some of the businesses in the local area. Katie Marner is a junior at North Daviess Junior-Senior High School, and she mentioned that she is a current member of the workforce as she works at Odon Locker and she wants to stay in the workforce once she is done with high school but is open to working somewhere different if it is the right calling to her.
“I personally don’t think I’m going to go to college unless it is online for the sake of working,” Marner said. I would rather work than go for a further education. So, I believe I’m probably going to stay at the job I’m at for the sake of I’ve been there for a while and it’s a good opportunity for me after high school. I really love God and so, God is number one in my life and if that’s a calling for me, then ministry would be a good thing that I would like to do.
Students also got two 10-minute round table discussion style sessions with colleges they were interested in to learn more about what the schools had to offer. Kyle Grabber is a senior at Barr-Reeve High School, and he didn’t think going to college was in his plans after high school when he was younger.
“A long time ago I used to tell myself that I didn’t like school, but now like I’ve seen all the different options here and I’m thinking that I’m planning on going to VU for Architectural Engineering, and it seems like a really good job and something I’m interested in it,” Grabber said. “It just seems something really cool, and Vincennes is really close. I don’t have to pay for any housing. It’s just tuition, it seems cheaper, and I can get more scholarships, and it seems like a lot better options than other places.”
North Daviess School Counselor Beth Smith was the one who came up with the idea for a college and career fair thanks in part to one she got to experience when she was in school.
“It was something we had done when I was in high school like one year, and it really made an impression on me,” Smith said. “I just feel that the students needed that time to spend one on one with someone in that profession so maybe they could get a better insight.”
Barr-Reeve also got to join in on the college and career fair because of a few different reasons.
“The amount of work that goes into putting this on is a shame that only our students get to benefit from, and we are a very close located community to Barr Reeve,” Smith said. We use some of the same professionals, same career individuals from their community as well. So, it just made sense to include Barr-Reeve.”
Students now have a clearer view of what their future could hold thanks to having the opportunity to have a college and career fair like this.
“I just thought today was really interesting and just really cool to see all the different things that people do and all the different things you can do in your future and all the different ways that you can succeed in life,” Grabber said.
In total, 280 students attended the college and career fair. There were also 55 volunteers for the career roundtable discussions and 25 volunteers for the college and military roundtable discussions.
