ABILENE, Texas — More than 200 students from the Winters Independent School District piled into six buses today and headed to Abilene to see a variety of career paths.
For many students, Career Exploration Day opened new avenues. Diego Rodriguez described how he felt when current Texas State Polytechnic University students spoke to him and his classmates.
“I was really happy with what he said to me. He spoke to me like I had a future no matter what I did,” Rodriguez said. “He made me believe in my future and I was really, I don’t know what the best word is, excited about my future because he made me believe in myself.”
Students had the opportunity to hear from professionals in a variety of professions, from event coordinators and caterers to welders and graphic designers.
“We’re a small school, so I feel really privileged to have this opportunity, not many schools can do that,” Laila Aguero said, “and I feel like it’s definitely helped me in my career choice.”
Mark Moreno said seeing different career paths firsthand has opened his eyes to all the possibilities for the future.
“I had a plan, but I didn’t think I’d be able to execute all of these things. And if I execute the plan, it gives me an advantage and a lot of knowledge. It feels good knowing all of this,” Moreno said.
One of the day’s stops was Sign Pro, where students learned the ins and outs of graphic design, and the owner said he was honored to play a role.
“I’m always happy to be a part of any endeavor where I can help the next generation with career exploration and what jobs they need to learn and what they want to know,” Rona Murray said. “I’m ready to mentor and share.”
Like many high school students, Weston Buechel said he didn’t have set plans for his future, but today’s events have helped him do just that.
“I’ve started thinking a little more about what I want to do with my life,” Buechel said. “I thought I would work in aviation in college, but now I want to work in electrical engineering or something.”
Bailey Bryant said she valued the experience and knows the Winters Independent School District provides unique opportunities for students.
“I feel privileged that our school provides us with the opportunity to visit companies and hear about what they do and why they do it, and I think it’s beneficial for us as students to be prepared to think about what we want to do in the future,” Bryant said.
The trip was funded by a state grant, and the students say they came home with better plans for the future.
“Personally, I wanted to go into culinary arts, so I feel like this trip has broadened my horizons, so this trip has really helped me,” Hunter Gray said.
