April 17, 2008

Expanding horizons

Leland High School students look ahead on Career Day

By Jeanne C. Carbone
Staff Writer

Leland High School students looked to the future April 9 as 160 community professionals descended on the campus for Career Day.

Leland Career Day panelist Brook Ewondsen shares job secrets with students during her presentation. Photos by Jeanne C. Carbone

“With our Career Pathway Assessment, 1,800 students can focus on their top careers and make them consider others they hadn’t thought about. It is very empowering,” said Leland Career Center administrator Joan Albers.

Back in February students completed Career Pathway Assessments that aimed to connect their interests with potential careers. In addition to the assessments and the visit from community professionals, Leland presented College Day the week before. Students and staff were encouraged to wear college attire: sweatshirts, hats, scarves, or other college togs. Teachers shared their college experiences and students were encouraged to discuss their future education goals with the staff. Parents were encouraged to join in at home by talking with their children about future education plans.

But parent involvement didn’t end with college discussions. Many volunteered to make Career Day a success, including committee chair Helen Arrington and speaker recruitment chair Amy Consul. Area professionals donated their time by talking about their careers during three sessions with the students. Some were from Almaden, like San Jose Police Department Lt. Jim Lucarotti, who spoke on the CSI/forensics panel, Dr. Laksham Subramanian, a dentist, former Sharks player David Malley and FBI agent John O’Brien.

Music and acting panelists include Daniel Codella, Karen Piemme, Andrew Bales, Kevin Hignchi, John Kline and Hal Peterson at Leland’s Career Day. Photo by Jeanne C. Carbone

“I think it’s a good opportunity for the students,” said Leland senior Brian Yee, news editor for The Charger Account. “Admittedly, students are lazy, but luckily the school is proactive and saves the kids the time and the trouble by presenting Career Day.”

Leland editor in chief Janice Chen agreed, saying that the event was “a great experience” and “more for the underclassmen.”

Career Day panelists weren’t just from Almaden. Speakers from a number of industries included District 10 policy aid Eric Crane, Symphony Silicon Valley president Andrew Bales, vetinarian Dr. Barbara Lee and Julie Davis Berry, director of expansion for The Giving Tree, a nonprofit.

The panels covered a variety of career paths that students may not have initially thought fit their interests. Professions included artistic, auto/transportation, computers, construction, education, engineering, fashion/interior design, film/tv/radio, financial, legal, management, medical, music/acting, personal services, physical medicine, police/fire/emergency medical technicians, public relations / marketing / hospitality, psychology/counseling, recreation/sports, sales, scientific, veterninarian and, of course, writing.

“The more you excell in high school, the more opportunities you will have in life, ” said fashion and interior design speaker Brook Edwoldsen.

Making Career Day happen with last-minute instructions are Leland High School Career Center administrator Joan Albers, staff member Peg Baker and parent volunteers Mary McPherson and Kimbellie Garg.

Equally important were the question-and-answer periods where students could ask experts questions about their chosen careers besides the discussions about how they found and work at their occupations.

“If you make a mistake, say your sorry right away,” said NBC-TV News reporter Scott McGrew. He and fellow panelists Roy Avila, Al Breiten and Nate Deaton discussed conflict of beliefs such as the media uproar caused by a statement from one of the Dixie Chicks, who said she was no longer proud to be a Texan because of George W. Bush.

Psycholgist Jean Jennett said that there will always be certain aspects of a career that are not enjoyable but encouraged students to love the core of their chosen profession. Leland Interim Principal Ardity Heinrich echoed that thought: “If you love what you do—you will always be happy.” She was pleased with the thoughtful questions the students posed to the speakers and the involvement of the community to donate their time.

“We really have incredible speakers,” said Albers. “I want to thank them and all the parent volunteers, all of Leland’s staff as well as the Outback [Steakhouse] on Blossom Hill for sponsoring the luncheon afterwards. Career Day really is a community effort.”