It’s never too early to start thinking about the future. People who begin planning early will have better chances of success in their chosen career path. There are many ways on campus for students to get ahead regardless of what field interests them.
Although all of high school is designed to prepare teens for life as an adult, there is a myriad of different courses to choose from that allows students to gain more specific insight into their future. Health Occupations Students of America, or HOSA, helps students interested in the medical field, DECA is made for future businessmen and women, and there are many other classes for people going into fields such as fashion, cosmetology, architecture, and agriculture.
“These classes have helped me realize I want to go into business,” sophomore Cesar Mendoza said. “DECA really gives you a taste of what business is going to be about before you commit to a whole lifetime of it.”
Students who are interested in the medical field are presented with many different classes to help get them on the right track. In addition to classes, they can also join HOSA, which is a club that competes with other schools and allows students to create their own project about a topic that interests them within the medical field.
“I’m currently in Health Principles, and it’s given me a lot of useful basic knowledge about medicine,” sophomore Lauren Newcomer said. “There’s a class where you actually go and do rounds at a hospital and work on different floors, which I think is great real-world experience.”
There are also a lot of opportunities for students considering a career in business. From sports management to fashion marketing to corporate business, everyone can find a class to give them a glimpse into their possible future. Furthermore, students can join DECA, an extracurricular club, which goes and competes at tournaments in many different categories of business. DECA also arranges trips for students to go out and see what a day in the life of a businessman or woman is like.
“DECA has allowed me to meet new people and expand my social circle,” sophomore Medha Chappidi said. “I compete with a partner, so it’s built my team working and communication skills, and has opened up a new career path to consider.”
People who hope to get into the fashion industry can also find ways to get ahead in high school. There are classes for people of all levels, and anyone can benefit from these classes, even if it’s just learning to alter your own clothes or how to tailor to your specific body type.
“Kids will learn sewing techniques, how to manage time, and how much work goes into making clothes,” fashion design teacher Jill Reed said. “These classes teach students the basics early on so they already have some skills when they go off to college.”
Although high school is already a great way for students to begin to figure out what they want to do in the future, being able to take introductory classes takes it a step further. Students can try out different classes and see if that career is something they would actually like to pursue.
“I think one of the best things about having a school as big as ours is that we have so much diversity,” sophomore Asia Vivieros said. “So it doesn’t matter what you’re into, you can find a niche here with people and classes that give you a preview of what your future could be like.”