While underclassmen took PSAT and ACT Plan tests this morning, the senior class explored different options for their future. Bringing in 40 professionals from various fields, physics teacher Theresa Kennedy took charge of the event and organized Career Day for the students.

“The purpose of Career Day is to allow seniors an opportunity to meet with professionals in careers they might be interested in going into, so they can understand what the careers are,” Kennedy said. “Almost everyone gets into college and starts taking classes for their major, then realize they have no idea what someone in that field really does. So this allows seniors an opportunity to meet with professionals and figure out what they actually do.”

Senior Jennifer Arkin said she went into the first session with a bit of low expectations, but ended up learning more than she thought she would. Speakers informed students of the type of training and education involved, as well as what they do on a day-to-day basis.

“I went to a pharmacy and physician session, and they seemed really into what they were doing,” senior Insia Zufer said. “They talked a lot about their education and kind of showed how hard it is to get that job.”

Career Day began years ago with small sessions during junior advisory, but Kennedy has moved the event to the senior level and expanded it to what it is now. This year was a bit different than years past because the sessions began at 8 a.m. instead of the usual 9 a.m. due to a scheduled presentation with Jostens, BVNW’s cap and gown company for graduation.

Each year more career fields get involved, and this year, new speakers came from areas such as interior and fashion design, early childhood education and performing arts. Kennedy said she brings in people who have presented in previous years, as well as contacting students, teachers and friends to find professionals in certain careers she wants to come present.

“One of our most unique situations this year was the FBI session,” Kennedy said. “We’ve had FBI for lots of years, but the person that was supposed to come contacted me a week or two ago and said he was unable to come due to the government shutdown, because they were forbidden to do any presentations outside of their normal job.”

Kennedy said even though it was a scramble, they were able to find retired FBI agents to come and speak. This session is one that Kennedy said students are usually interested in, and she tries to ask students what careers they want to hear about so they will have positive reactions to the presentations that come to the school.

“I really liked the journalism speaker the most, he upped the whole morning for me,” senior Lily Timberlake said. “I wish a lot of the speakers talked less about their salaries and more about their passions like he did, though. It’s really nice to hear when people are interested in what they do.”

Timberlake said overall, she thought the morning was an interesting experience. Kennedy said she thought this year’s Career Day went well and heard positive feedback.

“It’s cool to hear students after the sessions saying ‘Wow, I had no idea you had to have this education to do this job,’ or ‘I’m really doing the right thing for what I want to do,’” Kennedy said. “In general, I think they were appreciative of the fact that professionals took time out of their day to come talk to them.”