Future Doctors, DJs and Dog Trainers: The Making of a Professional

Most seventh graders don’t know what career path they’ll follow and according to the speakers at the first career day at the Middle School, they’re in good company.

“I had no clue,” said Bob Kurzawa, the VP of Game Innovation at Sonalysts. “But it all worked out.”

Kurzawa was one of 22 guests invited to the middle school to talk to students about their own journeys from middle school to professional.

Careers may be the furthest thing from the minds of many seventh graders but Guidance Counselor Patty Pollin said that their young age is no reason to postpone the subject.

“Oh my gosh if you don’t keep it out there in front of them…” she began. “It’s really about awareness.”

Pollin said students recently finished career assessments and for career day, they were assigned to professionals working in a field related to the preferences revealed in the assessments.

“Many students think they’re stuck,” said Pollin of students who were surprised or disappointed by the assessment results. “We’re doing this to show them what’s out there.”

Pollin said that a majority of students showed an interest in artistic careers, entertainment and STEM careers.

Students were able to speak with a variety of professionals like a DJ, a scientist, a professional athlete, a doctor, a judge advocate general, a chef, a graphic designer, an engineer, etc.

Students were also given a list of questions to ask each speaker, like “what did you want to be when you were in middle school?” to “what helped you get where you are today?”

Seventh grader Dakota Grover said the presentations were “cool” and that he wants to be a professional athlete when he grows up. He said the presentation by Principal Greg Keith was his favorite.

And, Steve McCall also said the presentations “were pretty cool” and that he wants to be in the Army and that his favorite presentation was given by someone in the Army.