On October 6th, the Freshman Academy held their annual Career Fair. There were 39 speakers that participated in the event. The speakers are chosen by students’ interests. There were presentations by small business owners, realtors, lawyers, bankers, paramedics, firemen and many other professionals. Some even gave things out. A presenter from TCBY, for example gave out free samples, coupons, and t-shirts.

The students were able to create a list of the top eight careers they would like to learn about, knowing they would only see four. Planners tried to set each student’s individual schedule for the day by their top four choices, but if one of those speakers’ rooms were full, they would be given another career on their list. The freshmen started their day in advisory, no matter what period they had it, and watched a video to learn about professionalism and what kind of questions to ask the speakers. They then went to their first presentation and filled out an answer sheet, then rotated from each class every 20 to 25 minutes.

The day ended in the auditorium with a presentation from Jarrett Payton, Walter Payton’s son. He talked to the freshmen about taking education seriously and working hard. He talked about motivation and his own life experiences. He also shared a story about the time he was trying to get into college and had been excited about it. As he was going to sign to the college, he got a call and the school told him that because of a low grade, he would not be accepted. The moral of the story was that it didn’t matter that he was a famous person’s son. He still had to work for his own achievements. The bottom line was, no matter who you are, whether you are famous or not, it doesn’t matter. It’s up to you to accomplish your own goals.

Mrs. Pulaski, Freshman Academy Coordinator, said that she felt the day went well, but admits it was stressful. They had worries about whether the speakers would show up and what to do if they didn’t. They tried to keep the students’ interests in mind when choosing the speakers as much as they could. In the end, the career fair was a success, and many students enjoyed it. It had been their first time showing that video to the freshman during their advisory and it too, turned out well. It was entertaining for the students, so they wouldn’t just be sitting there bored. Overall, this years Freshmen Academy Career Fair was a success.