April 24, 2023 - Northview High School held its very first Career Day in April. The all-day event began with students exploring a variety of career opportunities in the fields of transportation, cosmetology, culinary, health care, and more. 

“Vendors from 12 different organizations came and met with the students,” said Bridget Thomas, school counselor and organizer of Career Day. “We prioritized showcasing jobs that cater to the strengths and skills of our diverse student population. It also allowed our students to learn more about themselves and connect with careers they might not have known about before.”

Following exploring careers, students participated in a Communication Challenge and Career Walk. 

“A lot of our students struggle with communication,” said Thomas. “We want all of our students to be comfortable introducing themselves to another person and engaging in conversation, so that’s exactly what we worked on. In whatever communication style that works for our students, we had them practice asking how another person is doing while remembering to maintain eye contact and smile.” 

During the Career Walk, students learned about the responsibilities of employees in teaching, law enforcement, and business positions. 9th grader Jonathan Kindell said his favorite part of the entire day was conversing with company representatives and taking in all the information. 

“Metro Transit stood out to me,” said Kindell. “I learned about their independent transportation program, which is something I can take advantage of once I transition into the workforce.” 

Thomas says there is a 100% chance that Career Day will take place next year. Her goal is to make it an annual event. 

“It was spectacular,” said Brian O’Connor, principal. “We had some wonderful vendors come and the students were engaged throughout the entire day. It gave them a perfect example of what transitioning from high school to the professional world looks like.”

Students who visited vendor tables and chatted with business representatives were put in a drawing for an opportunity to throw a pie into Assistant Principal Mark Sharp's face.