Fair Exposes Riverwood Students To Dozens of Careers

The Riverwood Foundation, in conjunction with the Sandy Springs Education Force, hosted a Career Fair on Friday, March 6 at Riverwood International Charter School.

The fair allowed students to meet with local businesses and post-secondary schools around the state. This year, the forum showcased over 80 Atlanta-area employers, regional colleges and other professional organizations. Riverwood business students served as ambassadors at the event.

“All of us at Riverwood appreciate the hard work and support of the Riverwood Foundation and the SSEF,” said Riverwood Principal Dr. Robert Shaw. “Without their support, the Career Fair and the great opportunities it provides for Riverwood’s students, would not be possible. I also want to thank the many organizations that participated in the Career Fair. Students are able to gather knowledge and insights through personal interaction — knowledge that they may not get just through Internet research.”

“At the Career Fair, many students get ideas about where to go to college or what they might want to do as a profession, and some even find summer jobs,” added Sheri Smith, International Baccalaureate business and management instructor at Riverwood and director of the Career Fair. “I noticed a lot of students were picking up business cards and asking for applications. It’s exciting to see them so enthusiastic about their futures.”

Riverwood senior and IB business student Kian Smith has always been interested in the field of business, but noted it is “challenging to decide on the specific aspect to pursue.

The Career Fair gave Kian a chance to explore many avenues within the business arena.

“It is great to talk to firms like Deloitte and Home Depot to answer my questions about what it’s like to work there,” the student added. “I’m excited for what is to come out of these experiences.”

Riverwood was recently named to the Washington Post’s list of Most Challenging Schools and selected by US News and World Report as one of America’s Best High Schools. The school is recognized as one of the state’s top AP Merit, AP STEM Achievement Schools and AP STEM Schools. In 2014, the school raised its graduation rate by 13 percent to 81.3 percent.

The Riverwood Foundation supports long-term strategic initiatives that impact every student at Riverwood, working closely with the school’s administrative team to determine the areas of greatest need, raising funds, and securing resources to support those needs.

SSEF actively engages the resources of Sandy Springs civic leaders, community stakeholders and businesses to deliver supplemental programs and services in our eleven public schools. Friday’s Career Fair is an example of the community events SSEF creates to support educational and enrichment opportunities for public school students’ success throughout their academic school years and beyond.

Photo 1: Riverwood junior Annie Sullivan, Cecily Ross and Eryn Bloomberg with Veronica’s Attic.

Photo 2: Tara Sherman of Deloitte with Riverwood senior IB business student Kian Smith.

Photo 3: Paula Riley of McDonalds with Riverwood students Philip Reed and Hannah Kelley.

Credits: Riverwood International Charter School