Hairstylist Lori Walsh told pupils about her job during Career Day at the Millstone Township Middle School. Walsh is pictured giving school counselor Deborah Acker a trim as eighth-graders look on and prepare to ask questions. MILLSTONE — Thoughts about the future were on the minds of Millstone Township Middle School students during the recent Career Day event.
The school’s Counseling Department presented the sixth annual Career Day for eighth-graders in late January. More than 160 students had a chance to learn about various careers.
School counselor Deborah K. Acker said students had the opportunity to listen to up to six presentations from 15 guests.
The speakers were attorney Kevin Mc- Govern; financial adviser Julie Straley; pediatric nurse practitioner Theresa Pugliese; teacher Laura Czvornyek; architect Rick Pratt; insurance business owner Jeff Stillwell; retired FBI agent Bill Waldie; musician Jerry Topinka; genetic counselor Kristen Qutub; New Jersey State Police Trooper Jamar Beverley; construction company owner Michael Fornaro; physical therapist Cynthia Mark; retail store owner Mike Heayn; artist Neha Memon; and cosmetologist/ hairstylist Lori Walsh.
“Every presenter is a highlight of Career Day,” Acker said. “The students stay involved from the moment we begin until the moment we end the event.”
Principal Chris Huss said he appreciated all the work and dedication that guidance counselor Brielle Simels and Acker put into making Career Day a success.
“The value of this experience is immeasurable as our students begin to think about how they will choose to earn a living in their adult lives,” Huss said.
Eighth-grader Andrew Iannaccone thanked the guidance department for sponsoring Career Day. The guests “tell us how to get into their careers and how to specialize in them. This information will help us learn about how to be successful in the workforce,” he said.
Acker said she enjoys listening to the professionals who attend Career Day.
“It never fails that I learn something new every year about a career I did not know before,” she said.
The PTSA purchased a computer program, “Career Cruising,” which is an Internet based career exploration and planning tool.
“All of our eighth-graders are using ‘Career Cruising’ to research career and college options and to develop a career plan,” Acker said. “We are excited about this partnership with the PTSA and the community to host Career Day and ‘Career Cruising’ and look forward to another successful year.”
“Career Day was a wonderful opportunity for us to focus on the future,” student John Kuchar said. “The speakers were great in sharing their knowledge. I really learned from them.”
Student Jillian Rekulak said, “I really enjoyed getting to learn all about the various careers. There is more to learn than most people realize. It was also a lot of fun.”
Student Victoria Cotilla found Career Day to be a great way to learn about people and how they got started on their career path.
Student Kaitlyn Bergen said, “I had so much fun and learned from all of the volunteers.”
Acker thanked the guests for sharing their time and the PTSA for contributing to the event.
“The students were interactively involved, attentive and asked wonderful questions,” she said. “The teachers were able to integrate some of the presenters’ information into their curriculum.”