ASPIRE Community Day School opened its doors to local businesses, organizations, college representatives, and the Armed Forces to provide students with opportunities to network with professionals from a diverse range of industries and fields. Staff members prepared students by incorporating resume writing and mock interviews into their curriculum. Forty-five representatives were invited to participate and offer career guidance to students at the third annual Career Networking Fair.
Principal Cristian Miley said, “The overall goal was to give our students opportunity and hope. Our kids should have all the opportunities to be successful that all other kids have, even though they made a mistake.” ASPIRE's purpose is to restore confidence, develop a sense of self-respect, and promote success. He went on to say, “These fairs allow our kids to feel as valued and worthy as any other students in HUSD. It also allows us to show our community the potential of our students and our value as an agent of change.”
The event stems from a partnership between members of the community and ASPIRE’s Counseling and Career Center. Counselor and event coordinator LaVerne Williams–Schoonover said, “Our goal is to show our students what resources are out there and by hosting this event, we can showcase a variety of opportunities they can pursue.”
ASPIRE intends to continue to host the fair on an annual basis and maintain partnerships with the presenters. The goal is to provide a constant source of opportunities for students as they transition to life after high school. Thank you to the ASPIRE staff for continuing to create opportunities for the students on your campus!