CFHS seniors gain insight on the future

CLARK FORK — In the process of their senior projects, Clark Fork High School students learned what they might want to do in the future. More commonly, however, they learned what they do not want to do after high school.

“I started out in the hospital job shadowing an ultrasound technician, then I went into real estate with Evergreen Realty, and I would be realizing two to four years after getting my associates or bachelors degree that this is not what I wanted to do,” said CFHS senior Hailey Bristol, who ultimately found her passion in cosmetology, particularly in the tedious, time-consuming area of eyelash extensions.

CFHS English teacher and independent track coordinator Rebecca Palmer said this is the second year all students in senior English or dual credit English have been required to participate in the independent track through the school’s experiential learning track program. In the independent track, students get a first-hand look at careers they may be interested in by job shadowing individuals from different businesses or organizations throughout the community. It’s also the second year, Palmer said, that all CFHS juniors have been required to watch the senior presentations and evaluate them.

“That means that the seniors who presented this year started preparing for their senior projects a year ago,” Palmer said. “Because of that, they were the best we’ve had. Kids, for the most part, really took their job shadow time seriously as a way to explore career interests. One student, for example, thought she would pursue satellite communications in the military, but because she was able to explore fire and EMS rescue with the independent track, she has changed to pursuing being a medic in the Army.”

Eighteen seniors, as well as a few younger students who participated in the independent track, presented on Friday for a total of 21 projects. Palmer said all of the students, many of the parents, and a lot of the mentors have told her that the program is an invaluable experience that will put them a step ahead in the future.

“Many have walked away with job offers or positive job references,” Palmer said. “All 21 presenters passed with flying colors. We are so blessed to be able to offer this program to our kids.”

Grace Shelton, CFHS senior, job shadowed Lindy Lewis at Underground Kindness and Let Your Color Out. Lewis is a self-health coach, authenticity speaker and author, and while Shelton realized it is not what she wants to do for a career, she learned “so many valuable lessons” that she will apply to future jobs, including better people skills and proper etiquette in the workplace, she said. Shelton said she plans to attend Carroll College in Montana, and is looking into the anthrozoology program, as well as physical therapy.

Dakota West said he still plans on going into engineering after job shadowing at Ground Force Worldwide, though it did change his idea of what area of engineering he plans to pursue. Initially he thought he wanted to go into mechanical engineering, but is now looking into civil engineering after realizing that he wanted to be out in the field more.

On the other hand, Brooke Stevens, who plans on going into business management, found success at Ruen Drilling. At the Clark Fork company, she learned how to create invoices, file paperwork, balance a trust account and other skills that will translate into any business where she ultimately ends up.

“I chose to do this because I see this as maybe a future career,” Stevens said. “... I was happy I got this opportunity because it showed me that this business management area is something I am really interested in.”

In addition to talking about what they did and learned throughout their experience, each senior was required to do a demonstration as well. Bristol, for example, demonstrated how to do eyelash extensions on a mannequin. The most important thing she learned during her experience she said, was to tape down the bottom eyelashes so as not to glue someone’s eyes shut — which she did once. Bristol said she plans to pursue a career as an esthetician, and will attend beauty school in Coeur d’Alene next year.

Shelton demonstrated how to make a vision board. The collage of magazine tearouts are personalized to each individual, to help them visualize and keep track of things that make them happy, things they are grateful for, places they want to go, and more.

“Life can be very big and heavy and crazy sometimes, and this has helped me a lot, just kind of slowing it down and bringing it backs to what makes me happy,” she said.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.