Students Learn About Career Paths

For many speakers at Millburn Middle School's Career Day, their current career path was not their first choice.

Some said they wanted to do something else before they entered their current field, and they told eighth-graders Friday they too may choose something different than what interests them now.

Mayor Sandra Haimoff, who was the keynote speaker, said it's hard to determine what you want to do when you're in eighth grade.

"You're at the very beginning of your journey of exploration," she said. "Don't be afraid to walk away from something that you don't feel is right. Don't feel you need to make a decision now."

She thought she'd be a journalist or an actress before she settled into her path in speech therapy, she said.

Celia Argrious, who works in a publishing company, told students she originally wanted to teach before she landed in publishing.

There were few jobs because of tough economic when she entered the workforce, she said, and she worked as a typist at a publishing house that produced education publications.

Millburn Det. Ed de la Fuente told eighth graders he originally wanted to be a doctor before going to college and deciding he didn't want to be in school for such a long time.

Working on a first aid squad, he learned he liked working with children and working with the police. It's why he decided to pursue a career with the police department, he said, and he now gets to work with children as the D.A.R.E. officer. He also works with children who commit crimes, are victims of crimes and are witnesses to crimes.

When he was in school, everyone told him he should be a doctor because he was good at science.

"What you're good at might not be what you like," he told the students.

The eighth-graders seemed to appreciate the career advice. Amir Taree said he likes hearing about the different career choices because he's only heard from his parents that he should be either a doctor or a lawyer. "I didn't know there was this variety," he said.

Another student, Jacob Nacht, said he was most interested in hearing from the doctors because he enjoys hospital dramas and wanted to know what it's like in real life. "Today we are seeing how different everyone is and that there is so much you can do in life," he said.