Navigating the future can be terrifying, oftentimes many students have no clue where to start in terms of deciphering the multitude of paths available to them. However, with the help of counselor Samantha Beiro, Career Week acted as a foundation to give students a strong start in their professional endeavors. 

“The goal is for students to start to explore and get introduced to different careers,” Ms. Beiro said. 

On February 22-26, 2021, students engaged in interactive Zoom meetings with professionals from varying fields and gained insight. Ranging from performing arts to the civil services, medicine to economics, niches from all parameters allowed students to get an idea of their options. 

Actress Allison Trujillo-Strong came to discuss her experience in the performing arts industry with students. Ms. Strong has appeared on Broadway as well as very popular television shows, such as “Bye Bye Birdie” and “The Marvelous Ms. Maisel.” With her knowledge of the industry, she was able to guide students through various activities and prepare them for struggles they might face if they chose to enter the same field.

“The session with Ms. Strong definitely altered my perception on the industry,” junior Christine Salazar commented. “It gave me a lot of knowledge about a field that I thought I already knew a lot about!” Christine added.

Firefighter Shawn Brown, an Englewood resident, came to discuss his experience with the town, what led him to his occupation and what his day-to-day routine might look like. Students asked questions and gained verbal guidance on the road to becoming a firefighter, as well as what to expect—he provided them with a raw perspective from a real-life officer. 

“Don’t get discouraged, don’t let anyone tell you can’t do it…never give up, and open yourself up to mentors,” Mr. Brown said.

Other speakers gave students firsthand information and resources for possible areas of study and career paths. Every student who joined Career Week learned about new possibilities to achieve great things and learned about where they could be headed. 

“Little by little you will arrive,” Ms. Strong advised.