FULTON, NY – Fulton students in grades six through eight recently gathered in the Junior High gymnasium for the school’s first Career and College Fair.
Though similar events have been coordinated for high school students, this was the first to appeal specifically to the younger age group. Angela Ferlito, the district’s Work-Based Learning coordinator and one of the event’s co-organizers, argued that distinction is important.
“Once they get to high school,” she noted, “they’ll have a better understanding of the classes and programs they should consider to boost their skills and employability after graduation. Beginning exploration before high school allows students more time to focus on the endless possibilities for their future.”
Throughout the day, middle school students were able to interact with representatives from 15 local businesses, various branches of the armed services, a community college, and several high school educational programs. Students were encouraged to explore via a scavenger hunt, which allowed them to further engage with presenters and question them about their own careers and the roles of their organizations.
“I work with the sixth grade students on career exploration and life skills,” said Laura Bliss, sixth grade counselor and the second co-organizer of the event. “They are already thinking about their future and what kind of career pathway would make them happy later in life. Giving them the opportunity to begin speaking with people in many different types of industry is valuable. It works together with the exploration they have done all year and helps them further narrow down a life path.”
Students enjoyed the event and many said it was fun to work their way through the presenter scavenger hunt. Ferlito and Bliss considered the event a great success and look forward to planning similar events in future years.
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