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Students at Bayside Sixth Grade Campus learned about a variety of jobs from professionals recently. In the school’s first job fair, students met with local, working professionals to learn about their industries.
Earlier in the year, students completed a program called Major Clarity to explore different professions and determine what areas interested them most. The top eight careers selected by students included: performing arts, veterinary services, political science, graphic design, journalism, early childhood education, personal training, and restaurant management. Administrators used this criteria to select which professionals would be invited to the job fair, explained Principal Shampriest Bevel.
Students met representatives from WHRO Public Media, Outback Steakhouse, Virginia Beach's Visual and Performing Arts Academy, and more to learn what it is like to work in their fields. The job fair was a big hit with attendees.
Sixth-grader Eisley Case meets with Virginia Delegate Tim Anderson who spoke to students about careers in political science.
“The fact that students left saying, ‘When is the next one?” tells me that it was a hit, Bevel said.
Jae’Shawn Franklin, a student at the sixth grade campus, said he enjoyed learning about journalism and how to get started by working on school newspapers. He said he thought the job fair was a great idea and provided good opportunities for students. “It can get me to better places and improve me as a person,” he explained.
Fellow student Eisley Case is already pretty sure about her future career path. She wants to be a marine biologist because sharks are her favorite marine animal. “If that doesn’t work out, I think I’ll be a journalist,” she said. “You still have to do research and explore fascinating topics.”
WHRO News Director Mechelle Hankerson speaks with a student about working in journalism.
For students who haven’t decided yet what careers they may enjoy, Case suggested they research jobs that are attached to their interests or hobbies and see what types of careers are available. The job fair was a great first step in this process for many of the students. “I feel like it was a good experience,” Case said.
WHRO Manager of Early Childhood Learning Martha Razor tells students about working in early childhood education.
In addition to using the Major Clarity program, Bevel said that students explore careers in several different ways throughout the school year. “We have building leaders who put together a few different lesson plans to help students with some of those things like identifying skills, careers, universities, even coming up with a finance plan for college as well,” Bevel explained. About once a week students are participating in some type of career exploration activity.
Not only has this helped them with future planning, Bevel said, but it has also improved classroom behaviors.
“The data shows our attendance has improved and our classroom referrals are down,” she said. “The culture changes when you have a goal in mind.”
She encourages parents and educators to remember that it is never too early to start career exploration with students. “It's so important that we get kids thinking so they can prepare themselves,“ she explained. ”You want them to start thinking about what programs do I need to join? Maybe what type of volunteer service can I do? You want to better prepare students in the front so you get a much better or much more exciting product in the end.“
She also emphasizes that it is key for parents to be involved to help encourage students to navigate their curiousity outside of the classroom.
Students speak with members from Outback Steakhouse, and visit with a crocodile, while learning about working in the restaurant industry.
The Virginia Beach Public School system is part of the 21 public school systems in Hampton Roads that own WHRO Public Media.
