LHS Juniors Shadow Region's Professionals

Many people are born with a professional talent, and that becomes their life-long passion.

On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, the Lynnfield Business Coalition (LBC) sent more than 40 LHS juniors to shadow a professional in their prospective field after graduation.

According to LBC president Rich Mazzola, prospective nurses can go to Mass General in Boston as well as Union Hospital in Lynn; prospective public relations staff can shadow the vice president of Timberland, and prospective teachers will spend the day at Lynn Classical High School, Summer Street School and Huckleberry Hill School.

"It allows students to get ready for college and what they want to major in," said Mazzola. "It teaches what they don't want to do, or what they do want to do. After this, they'll realize what their gut told them to do was what they thought - or wasn't."

Moving Toward Being A Chemistry Teacher

LHS junior Melody Mancinelli, who wants to teach science (especially chemistry) at the high school level, shadowed advanced placement (AP) junior history teacher Gayle Richardson of Lynnfield, Jeff Grove's college prep (CP) sophomore biology class, and Mark Chesley's honors freshmen biology class, all at Lynn Classical.

After Tuesday was over, Mazzola's prediction came true: Mancinelli concluded that she would rather become a chemistry teacher than a biology teacher.

"I really enjoy chem, and I thrive in this class," said Mancinelli. "I take chemistry this year, and it has been one of my favorite classes I have taken in high school. My teacher, Mr. Scott Gordon, is a great motivator, and I feel he is the reason I want to teach this class. He is so good with students of all intelligence levels, and he always has a way of explaining things so they make sense."

In department head Richardson's class, who teaches AP U.S. history and AP microeconomics, they discussed and finished a video on the Freedom Riders while Mancinelli observed.

Program Offers New Perspectives, Information

"It's difficult for her to be a peer. She mixed with complete strangers, and imagined herself in charge of the classroom," said Richardson.

Commenting on her experience, Mancinelli believes: "It helps young adults see the daily routines of people in the profession they want. It gives a different perspective of a job, and allows one to see the ups and downs of the profession."

Richardson's inspiration to become a teacher comes from her passion to give back, help the next generation, and share the rich history of Massachusetts, including such topics as the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere's Ride, and the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Lucky students may also land a summer or part-time job in their field. A former student, for instance, landed a summer job, which she kept throughout college, on a Boston tour boat after participating in this program.

LHS students have the option to shadow locally, or within 25 miles of Lynnfield, which takes them as far as downtown Boston, Framingham, and the New Hampshire border.

Richardson, who has taught at Lynn Classical for 14 years, mentioned that LCHS is twice the size of Lynnfield High School, and is racially, economically, and socially diverse, which forced her shadower to leave her comfort zone.

Agreeing with the differences, Mancinelli added, "It was great to see a different school and see how the students and teachers interact. It was quite different than Lynnfield High School, so I got to compare the different teaching styles and technologies at both schools."

Most shadow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or during normal business hours, and 600 students have foreshadowed their future careers over a 20-year period. The largest number of students was 52 in a single year.

As for the age group, "Seniors are graduating this time of year, and many have already chosen a major or college," said Mazzola, "the superintendent allows juniors to take off one MCAS day to help field them in a direction they might go."

Students, who aren't taking the MCAS or AP exams, take it easy on MCAS day, often watching videos, which made Tuesday a non-traditional school day.

Participants are responsible for transportation, but employers tell them an appropriate dress code and arrival time. They contacted the LBC about three months ago, told the organization their field of interest, filled out paperwork, and LBC matched them with a professional.

Richardson told her student to dress casually so that she could fit in as a student since she was an observer, not a teacher, that day.

As to why other communities don't have a shadowing day, Richardson said, "It takes leadership, organization, and community participation," she said, "I had another student last year, and I'd absolutely do it again. It's easy to do -- the teachers corporate, and the kids are great (two of my girls took her to lunch in the cafeteria)."

More About The Lynnfield Business Coalition

LBC holds a candidates night, where political officeholders, such as selectmen, school committee and board of assessors members, present their ideas on town topics a week before the elections.

The LBC also sells landmark ornaments -- the Lynnfield bell in the center of town, this year -- to go towards scholarships for eligible seniors.

Mancinelli added, "I signed up for Shadowing Day, because it gave me a different perspective of the classroom. I am used to being in the students' desks, and I feel this is an opportunity I could not pass up."

For information, visit LBChome.org.