Seniors in the Lee County School District had the fantastic opportunity to explore diverse career paths, from colleges and universities to local businesses, first responders, military recruiters, and many others today (Oct 16, 2024). This is the event’s third year, hosted at the Lee County Career and Technical Education Center (CTE), and it has proven to be a tremendous success.
“This event benefits Lee County students because it’s a one-stop-shop for our students. There are colleges here, there are industries here–literally, every student has an opportunity to connect with somebody to further whatever they want to do after high school,” Ginny Turner stated.
The hallways and corridors of the state-of-the-art CTE building bustled with excitement and opportunity. Community colleges, universities, and businesses from all over Mississippi were eager to speak to seniors from Mooreville, Shannon, and Saltillo High School, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose.
Jacob Gore, a Saltillo High School Senior, and CTE ambassador, shared, “It’s a good opportunity for Seniors to see what kind of jobs they can do or what options are out there for them if they’re not sure about what they want to do after graduation.” Gore plans to pursue a career in HVAC after graduation.
Itawamba Community College was one of the many schools represented at the event. College Freshman Brantley Martin attended the event last year as a high school Senior. She was in attendance today as an ICC Student ambassador, answering potential students’ questions and sharing all ICC has to offer Lee County graduates.
“Events like this help Lee County graduates be exposed to what ICC has to offer,” Martin said. “We love talking with these kids, interacting with them, and helping them pick their major. I attended this event last year as a high school senior at Mooreville High School, and this event helped me find the Itawamba Community College booth, where I learned how to apply for housing and scholarships.” Martin is currently an education major and studying to be a teacher.
Every student and guest enjoyed delicious food prepared by CTE culinary students, while also taking the opportunity to stop at every booth and learn about various career paths and educational opportunities.
“I want to be a pediatric surgeon, so the CTE program allows me to do hands-on things that will help me get into medical school. This event also allows me to talk to other medical professionals,” said student, Emma Henson, standing right outside the Health Sciences room, where employees from North Mississippi Medical Center were excitedly speaking to students about healthcare career options.
CTE Lee County Student Services Coordinator Laura Honeycutt spearheads the annual event. “We believe this showcase provides all Lee County students a great opportunity to see what is available. We’d love for all of our students to be educated in the career of their choice and stay in our area. Maybe they’ll leave for a little while, but our goal is to bring our students back to our communities. They are great students and hard workers with great attitudes, and we just really want to pour into them as much as we can and provide positive learning experiences,” Honeycutt shared.
Building a better tomorrow starts with making the most of today, and today, at the Lee County School District College and Career Showcase, a better tomorrow was not just made, but a brighter future for the Lee County community was shaped.
*Photo credit: Our Mississippi Home
