The Career and Technical Education Department at Rappahannock County High School is hosting its second annual Career Fair on Friday, November 21st, 2014 in the high school gymnasium. The Career Fair is part of the Career and Technical Education Local Plan that is submitted to the Virginia Department of Education. The primary objective of the fair is to provide a hands-on exploration of local career options by allowing students the opportunity to meet and speak with local successful professionals from various career fields. This experience helps inform student academic and career plans, which are requirements for high school guidance departments to facilitate and report to the state department.
Much work and preparation has already taken place. The CTE department has created a schedule for all high school students and created activities for the students focusing on careers for the future. Each CTE teacher will also volunteer time during the day for facilitation, set-up, and clean-up afterwards. “I am extremely proud of the CTE Department for all of their hard work on this project,” said Shannon Grimsley, Director of Academic Services. “The collaboration of this team is a wonderful thing to watch— Scott Schlosser leading the group in coming up with set time frames and goals, the band teacher, Jason Guira, counting all students to come up with an equitable schedule, Lisa Jones, our business teacher, making connections to help with event planning and decorating, welding teacher, Rich Hogan, and Economics and Finance teacher, Brad Weeks, designing a scavenger hunt related to each CTE Career Cluster in order to enhance student participation with presenters, culinary teacher, Kurt Streu, working on refreshments and tables—it’s just all coming together so seamlessly.” Participating in this effort is Next Step coordinator, Kathryn Habib, who has spent many hours on the phone scheduling presenters from last year’s very successful career fair, as well as finding new presenters in the surrounding community to participate.
Michael Tupper, principal at Rappahannock County High School is also taking an active part in communicating the importance of the event to students and staff. “The Career Fair,” said Tupper, “brings to light the opportunities that are available to our students. They begin to truly and seriously look at what interesting things they may be able to accomplish after high school.” Tupper, a former career and technical education director, understands the impact of first hand experiences. “My vision is that every student will have information about their individual aptitudes, a firm idea of what they’re interested in, and will graduate prepared for the world that awaits them.”
- Dr. Donna Matthews, Superintendent
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