For the first time in Columbia Adventist Academy (CAA) history, a student-to-teacher ratio of two to one was achieved. While not a permanent trend at the school, it was fun to see it happen for career day when a variety of people with different careers flooded the halls of CAA.
The day began with Todd Gessele, Totally Inspired Media founder and producer, presenting the keynote address. His talk featured some of his photographs as he talked about the great adventure of using your career for Christ. Following the general session, students were able to choose one of nine different presentations they would like to attend for each of the next six periods.
The diversity of careers, totaling 54 and ranging from bronze sculptor and underwater welder to anesthesiologist and periodontist, was highlighted in a comment by Marijke Kuiper, a junior, when she said, “I loved how many options we had, but it was so hard to choose only six.”
Students learned about the education needed, the day-to-day activities, and the rewards and challenges of their selected professions. In addition to the excellent presenters, a group of volunteers made the day more fun by providing snacks and refreshments for students and presenters.
Everyone felt the day was a huge success. For the students, the success was found in the opportunity to explore a variety of careers and network with professionals in an area of their interest. Carly Ford, a junior, reports, “My favorite presentation was the labor and delivery nurse because I got to hear a real baby's heartbeat.”
Two classmates and friends, Lauren Salsbery and Joella LaVallee, echoed the success of the day with: “I was really unsure about what career I wanted to focus on in college, but career day gave me a direction that pointed toward the medical field” and “listening to the culinary presentations helped me become more confident and inspired about what I want to do with my life.”
From engineering fields to culinary arts and from computer science to social work, CAA’s career day had it all. While this was a first for CAA, based on the responses by presenters and the student evaluations, it will not be the last time that CAA experiences a two-to-one student-to-teacher ratio.
written with assistance from CAA chemistry students
Todd Gessele, Totally Inspired Media president and producer, was the keynote speaker for CAA's career day.
