By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Area seniors will be graduating from high school in a few short weeks. Many will go to college and some will begin new careers. At Lincoln Elementary School in Great Bend, those decisions are being shaped early on. During last Thursday's USD 428 Board of Education luncheon at the school, Student and Family Advocate Jose Arias told the board about a career development program for sixth graders.
"It's never too late or early to starting thinking, what do I do after high school?" he said. "A lot of times, they get to high school and they're still thinking, do I want to go to college? Do I want to go to vo-tech? Do I want to go to work full-time? What is it that I want to do?"
The students answer questions and research various career options, including what type of training and qualifications are required, salary ranges, and the workload involved. Mesa Temple is headed down the path of becoming a horse trainer. Levi Williams plans to be a computer engineer. Brecklynn Carper said she can be a labor and delivery nurse while later pursuing a bachelor's degree.
"What is the work environment like?," Carper said. "Depending on the day, you can have one to two patients. What city would you like to live with your career choice? I chose Wichita, Kansas, and I thought it might be important to learn the amount I would need to pay for an apartment. It's typically $1,000-$2,000 per month."
The sixth graders will eventually compile their information to poster board, which will be displayed during a student-led career fair hosted by the school.