Annual program helps girls discover ‘What’s Next?’

Program will be held at LHS on March 1.

By: Lea Kahn
   Ask a teenager what she plans to do when she grows up, and she may respond that she wants to be a teacher or a nurse or fill a job in another traditionally "female" occupation.
   It doesn’t have to be that way. Women can become college administrators, scientists, firefighters and even police officers. But many of those women did not take the most direct route to their careers.
   That’s what the organizers of the second annual "What’s Next?" — a series of panel discussions on career exploration — hope to get across to the teenagers next month. The morning-long event will be held March 1 at Lawrence High School.
   Organized by the Lawrence Women’s Task Force, the conference kicks off at 9 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m., following lunch and entertainment by gospel singer Kim Freeman.
   "What we hope is that the girls will get an expanded vision of what is available to them," said Pam Mount, who helped organize the Lawrence Women’s Task Force with township residents Carol Nicholas and Willa Spicer two years ago.
   It’s not a career day, but it gives women a chance to share their stories with the girls, Ms. Mount said. The women can share their stories of how they made their decisions and how one thing led to another. Most of the participants took circuitous routes to find their careers, she added.
   "We really want to focus on the stories women have to tell," agreed Ms. Nicholas. "Every story is different. It’s a revelation for the girls. You don’t know what you want to be at 15 years old. You can change. You can fine-tune it to make it work."
   The conference will open with registration and coffee, followed by keynote speaker Kim Freeman. She is a gospel singer who works as the manager of a law office, Ms. Nicholas said.
   Following the keynote speaker, the girls will attend a panel session for which they have signed up. The panels allow the girls a chance to meet women who have chosen diverse careers, including entrepreneurs, attorneys, health care professionals, educators, a scientist, an engineer, a singer, a dancer, a firefighter and a police detective.
   Also, there is a panel that features women who are bilingual and who can discuss how that experience helped them to be successful. Another group of panelists will talk about their experiences in studying abroad, while yet another panel lets the girls talk to college students and learn about college life.
   After the panel session, the girls can visit booths set up in the high school cafeteria. The booths range from ones sponsored by Mercer County Community College, which focuses on the technology options and fine arts school, to Rider University’s athletics department with its focus on women in sports.
   Other booths include the Girl Scouts, Womanspace, PNC and Yardville National banks, the Lawrence Historical Society, the Stonybrook Watershed Association, the League of Women Voters and Heart to Heart. The emphasis of the booths ranges from volunteer opportunities to personal finance, fitness and nutrition, and date rape and teenage violence.
   Lunch will be combined with a fashion show. Following some closing remarks, each participant will receive a "goody bag" filled with free cosmetics, Ms. Mount said.
   "What’s Next" is open to all high school-age girls in Lawrence Township. Registration forms are available at the main office at Lawrence High School on Princeton Pike. The registration form is due Feb. 25.