While other students traveled around the state playing volleyball and wrestling, high school students from five southern Kenai Peninsula schools Ninilchik, Nikolaevsk, Voznesenka, Razdolna and Seldovia traveled to the Kenai Peninsula College campus in Soldotna Nov. 9 for KPC's 18th annual career fair.
"There's the benefit of seeing a small college, not some big, intimidating building or program that they are afraid of," said Rich Redmond, one of two itinerant counselors in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. Redmond has organized student trips to the career fair for the 17 years he's been with the district. "There's also the benefit of finding out more from a professional in the field (of a student's interest), finding out what education and training is needed."
In addition, there's the chance for a student to become inspired about a new area of study.
"One girl had a free session and didn't know where to go so she decided to attend the medical session," Redmond said, referring to presentations from which the students could choose. "She came out all jazzed. It opened her eyes to what's going on."
Transportation for Ninilchik, Nikolaevsk, Voznesenka and Razdolna students was arranged by Bonnie Powell of Project GRAD, with Seldovia Village Tribe coordinating travel for students from Seldovia. Although Nanwalek also planned to send students to the event, one of the winter's first snowstorms grounded air travel between Homer and villages on Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet. When buses became difficult to find because of transportation needed for other student activities, Chris Perk of Homer High School stepped in and secured an HHS bus for the outing.
More than 320 students from across the district attended the fair, according to Bill Howell, KPC director of student services who, with Krista Timlin, director of KPC career and community engagement center, chaired the one-day event. Fifty-five presenters spoke about careers in 11 different fields: dental, medical, accounting, writing, apprentices in the trades, aviation, social services, newspaper, auto mechanic, process technology and law enforcement. Other information on career development was offered at locations throughout the KPC campus.
"We're always interested, always looking to see if there's some new career out there we've missed," Howell said.
After the morning presentations, tours of the campus were offered to students who had traveled to the fair, as well as information on the application process and financial aid, and opportunities to speak with instructors.
Prior to the fair, students took an interest survey that rated the types of jobs for which they might be suited, according to Mike Petersen, Project GRAD coach.
"After they did that, they looked at what jobs would be presented in the fair and chose which ones they wanted to attend based on their interest survey," Petersen said.
Since returning to their schools, students are evaluating their experience for themselves and reviewing it for classmates.
"The value for our kids is just to see what else is out there, what might work within their culture structure," said Razdolna Principal Douglas Waclawski. "We've had them explain it to the rest of the kids what they did, what their favorite session was. They sounded pretty excited, really happy they went."
Nikolaevsk students are developing PowerPoint presentations outlining their experience at the fair, according to Principal Mike Sellers.
"I think it benefits them in that they get to see what other options are out there for them," Sellers said.
"Living in a small community, you see what's around you, but you don't know what other options the world might have for you."
Sellers, who attended high school in Wisconsin, said he couldn't remember attending a similar fair when he was a student.
"We knew you went to college and had to figure a way to pay for it. All I remember is that we were pretty much on our own," Sellers said, adding, "It's neat to give kids the option of talking to professionals, people from different campuses and things like that. As far as what sorts of opportunities are out there for education, how to get it paid for, the classes to take in high school to work toward that goal all that is beneficial."
Kachemak Bay Campus, Kenai Peninsula College-University of Alaska Anchorage, is planning a career fair in Homer in the spring, according to Petersen.
"Hopefully the weather will be a little better," he said. "We're trying to find something for Nanwalek and Port Graham."
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
