HMSA’s First Career Day Makes History
Career Day presenters talk with students afterschool in the MPR.
On the second Friday of February, Hawthorne Math and Science Academy had its first ever Career Day. Career Day is a day in which people from different professions and career paths come in and share their experience with the students. Most high school students stress about their futures, especially their choice of career and how they’ll get there. Career Day helps assuage worries by giving students information from professionals who were once in their same position.
Most students acknowledged the benefit of Career Day: “Career day was really cool because it gave me an idea of all the different options out there,” said Melissa M. Career Day proved to be effective by not only opening the students to multiple career paths but also allowing students to interact with professionals firsthand.
Doll artist, Lethia Cobbs, hangs out in the MPR after presenting herself in two sessions.
On Career Day, the school was on activity day schedule. After lunch, students went back to their homerooms for the presentations. The Career Day schedule divided the remaining time into two sessions; the students would be able to hear from and interact with two to three speakers per session, thus meeting up to six professionals. Over 40 professionals took part in Career Day, ranging from doll artists to business owners. Most of the participants were HMSA alumni or people related to HMSA staff members, who were contacted specifically to take part in this event. During the actual sessions, the professionals started off by introducing themselves and giving a general overview of their careers and how they got there. The students listened carefully and took notes. After the professional was done presenting, the students had a chance to ask questions to get to know the professional and his or her line of work.
Over 20 students volunteer for HMSA’s first annual Career Day. Student ambassadors included tour guides, hosts, and greeters.
A set of students volunteered to help behind the scenes. They helped navigate the professionals around the campus and
set things up in the MPR, such as making thank you cards and certificates for the visitors. Once the sessions came to an end, most of the visitors stayed for an extra half an hour in the MPR to meet and greet with any interested students. This gave students the chance to meet people who didn’t visit their classroom during the session.
Participants also had a great time
presenting during Career Day. Jeanette Reyes, a talent adviser, said “[her] overall experience was wonderful, the students asked great questions and seemed genuinely intrigued.” She went on to say she would “definitely go back and do it again.”
Overall, HMSA’s first career day proved to be the start of many more due to its success. Students learned a ton about certain career paths, while also having the opportunity to meet and speak to multiple professionals for themselves.
