Kevin Spradlin
Click here to view photos taken by seventh grade students from Mount Savage and Braddock middle schools on Tuesday at the 4th annual Focus on the Future career showcase.
CUMBERLAND — Electricians, wildlife experts, chefs, oh my!
More than 160 seventh-grade students from Braddock and Mount Savage middle schools created their own yellow brick road during the fourth annual Focus on the Future career fair on Tuesday at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.
Students were exposed to nearly two dozen fields in clusters of industries. Through an online survey taken at school, they had access to more than 100 exhibitors in career fields ranging from graphic design to health care and from law enforcement to education.
Seventh-graders from Washington and Westmar middle schools are scheduled to attend the career fair today between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
All of the presenters, experts in the fields they have chosen for their lives, offered the students a glimpse of what it is like to work in those career paths. Andrew Orndorff, guidance counselor at Mount Savage Middle School, said the career fair might be an opportunity for students to rule out certain career choices and not necessarily find what’s right for them right now.
Eliza Taylor of Mount Savage is a good example. Taylor offered that she knew a career in radio wouldn’t work for her after visiting Tim Martin and Jim Van of GO 106-FM. Taylor said she wanted her face to be on camera — and already is getting practice.
Her peers challenged this statement. Taylor directed them to videos posted online of her playing the piano as proof. Taylor said she’s been playing the piano since the first grade and is looking to a career in broadcast journalism.
Aaron Lancaster of Braddock wants to work with computers. Darryl Powell wants to play professional basketball. Powell said he was aware of how difficult landing a job in the NBA might be, so “I have a backup plan.”
“I’ll get a good job that pays a lot of money,” Powell said. “I’ll get a good education.”
Quest Lockard of Mount Savage said he didn’t like any of the three career clusters the computer spit out after he finished his online survey. He lucked out, however, as the budding photographer found some like-minded individuals in the art, media and communications career cluster.
Paige Kreiling wants to be an orthodontist and help fix smiles.
“I think it’s interesting,” said Kreiling, a Braddock student with braces whose parents both are insurance agents. “It could help their speech.”
Classmate Matthew Jones figured that an orthodontist “makes people feel good if they have a good smile.”
Kreiling said alternate career plans could include becoming a teacher or a photographer.
Braddock student Travis Yacuboski might have figured something that out puts him far ahead of his peers.
“It’s fun to be different than all the other kids,” Yacuboski said.
While most students wore traditional slacks and tops, Yacuboski’s outfit was a bit more spirited — even up to his blue hair. He said he planned to support Allegany during the upcoming homecoming game between the Campers and Fort Hill Sentinels. Wearing Camper colors, including one long blue sock, one long white sock and blue and white Nike basketball shoes certainly separated him from the crowd.
The approach might be similar to what Yacuboski will seek when it’s time to choose a career.
“I want to do something where I can do something different every day,” Yacuboski said. “Doing the same thing gets boring.”
Brianna Olinger, on the other hand, seemed to have pretty much everything figured out. The aspiring certified public account has “always been good with numbers.”
“I don’t have much trouble” with math, she said.
Olinger said with her parents’ help, she learned a CPA can earn anywhere between $25,000 and $100,000 annually. The more education, Olinger said, the better the wage. And if becoming a CPA doesn’t work out?
“I’ll be a financial adviser,” she said.
Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.
