Sophomore and Junior Students plan ahead at College and Career Fair

Sleepy Hollow High School opened its doors to nearly 75 colleges and universities, as well as local fire and police departments on April 17 for its annual College and Career Fair. The event took place during the school day and provided sophomore and junior students a chance to meet with representatives from various institutions.

Sophomore Cody Choi is considering a career in either finance or business and hopes to attend college outside the United States. “I’ve been looking at different schools. I did find a college here that would allow me to study abroad,” said Cody. “I also found a lot of great options in the tri-state area.”

Representatives from colleges and universities spoke to students about their available programs while handing out pamphlets. Craig Broccoli, the Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions of State University of New York Binghamton University, stated that he makes the trip to Sleepy Hollow High School every year to do a presentation in the winter to engage with students.

“This is a good first round. There are students I meet here as sophomores that I might see again as seniors. It’s a good way to build a relationship,” said Mr. Broccoli. He added that “many Sleepy Hollow students have attended and done well at Binghamton University.”

Parents were encouraged to attend to support their children in their decision-making process.

“Parents having access to the event provides a great opportunity for them to take in information and start or continue conversations with their young people,” said Michael Genua, Sleepy Hollow High School Counselor.

Lora Anderson’s son Daniel is a Junior and has already chosen his career path. The fair allowed him to narrow down which schools were the right fit for him. The duo visited different representatives both together and separately to ask questions about their environment and programs.

“My son is very enthusiastic about photography and wants to begin his studies right away,” said Ms. Anderson. “Just walking around the fair, I have learned that many colleges are offering internships and real-world work experiences, which are very important to us.”

Representatives from local emergency response agencies were also in attendance. They spoke to students about their organizations as well as their requirements for joining. Tarrytown’s Tower Ladder 78 handed out informational packets and collected volunteer firefighter applications. Senior Scott Klami has been volunteering since he was 16 and acted as a recruiter during the event by sharing his passion for firefighting with his peers.

“I joined when I was a sophomore and it’s going to be a lifelong journey for me. It’s like having a second family to call home. These guys are my brothers for life, my mentors,” said Scott.

By the end of the event, Tower Ladder 78 collected approximately 40 applications, local first responders informed students of the path they needed to join, and colleges and universities were able to reach out to interested students.

“Mr. David Ziegler, head of the Guidance Department, and Gladys Melendez, Senior Office Assistant, have done an amazing job of setting us up for success,” said Mr. Genua. “We feel the college and career fair is a vital experience for our young people.”