Inspiring Kids: Career Day 2014

On one of the last days of school we had CAREER DAY!!!! One of our lovely counselors Mrs. Woodson had been working hard for the past several months to gather guest speakers from all over our city! I even had the honor of having a speaker in my classroom during 4th and 5th grade.

Mr. Maurice Walker talked about OPTIONS. When most students graduate from high school and he shakes their hand to congratulate them he asks one question:

So what's next?

And the top response seems to be IDK, or as the rest of us understand I DON'T KNOW. From there he proceeded to give the students a list of four OPTIONS (in no certain order) of what they can do after high school. He went through each one and the kids had some great discussions.

1. Get a JOB
2. Military-Air Force, Marines, Navy, Army, Coast Guard
3. Trade/Technical School
4. College

I think that sometimes as adults and educators we often forget that there are multiple options after high school, not just the one that we've chosen. Everyone needs an option that works best for them. I really enjoyed hearing some of the students say what they really wanted to do after high school, whether it was the Military because his father was in the Army or College because they wanted to become an art teacher (I cried a little here), it's good for them to know they really do have options.

Do you discuss with your students what options they have after high school?