8th grade students at MME recently participated in Career Day, an event offering them the opportunity to explore their interests and future career options. With over 50 volunteer professionals in attendance to present throughout the day, students received an individual schedule consisting of seven speaker sessions, many of them from different fields and areas of study. 

“Career Day is tied to our mission of developing individual students’ passion and curiosity for their future after graduation. We link this event with our development guidance standards of career exploration,” said Dawn Bruesehoff, 8th grade counselor and lead organizer of Career Day. Prior to attending the event, students completed a career inventory via Career Key, and considered the choices they selected on this assessment when listing areas of interest for the event. 

The event itself lasted nearly the full school day, giving students the time to hear from a variety of speakers as well as reflect on the information presented in each 25-minute session. In the familiar environment of MME classrooms, and with the additional support of supervising teachers, 8th grade students could relax and fully invest in the presentations. Many speakers also prepared interactive activities in addition to their presentations, which further helped foster a positive and growth-centric atmosphere. 

Bruesehoff shared, “Students reported learning from both the experiences of careers they are interested in as well as learning about some of the fields that are not a fit.  Many of our speakers found the day valuable as well; they reported enjoying the student questions and engagement.  Speakers also asked if they could listen to other speakers during their off sessions.” 

After being put on pause for three years, Career Day returned with all the more impact. “I believe the students at large have a greater understanding of life after high school and college.  Some have made connections with a professional that may carry over into internships or mentoring.  Additionally, our teaching staff have reached out to some of the speakers to invite them to continue to share their field within a classroom setting, particularly in science,” said Bruesehoff. “The connections being made between the MME community and the community of local professionals is a highlight that can’t be overlooked.”