Pilot Point High School students and area industry representatives got the chance to come together as part of the Pilot Point Works College and Career Fair on Feb. 18.
The event was the joint effort of the Pilot Point Chamber of Commerce, the Pilot Point Municipal Development District and Pilot Point High School, and counselor Teana Coffman said she has already seen growth in just a year.
“Last year, we had probably half the number of colleges here as we do this year, so it's continuing to expand,” she said. “I think we have 27 colleges here, colleges and trade schools, and then we have 22 community organizations and businesses.”
Many businesses and schools, such as the University of North Texas, North Central Texas College; the Pilot Point Police and Fire departments; various military branches; and area businesses were represented at the fair.
That provided students the opportunity to ask questions, learn about local colleges and businesses and win fun prizes and gift cards.
Seniors Makenzie Neal and Lily Cooper shared their thoughts.
“It's really cool because you might see a career that you didn't even know was a career, like the park rangers and like other stuff and like welding colleges,” Neal said.
She plans to study horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University.
'It's also really good to find colleges and to be able to talk to them face-to-face rather than just reading about them,' Cooper said.
She recently committed to Oklahoma State University to study veterinary medicine.
With over three years of high school remaining, freshman Moxley Huss said she isn’t pressed for time but still finds the fairs useful as her interest in medical careers grows.
'Every year I think I eliminate a couple more colleges that just don't seem like the right fit,” Huss said. “And I think career fairs can really help to put you in connect with resources and help you to know that by your senior year you know what colleges you don't want to go to, and it can really help decide.” Junior Santiago Juarez said he took the career fair more seriously this year.
'Last year, since I was a sophomore, it was more just to look at, you know, have fun, get snacks, and stuff like that,” he said. “But now that I'm a junior and I'm actually having to start to thinking about my future and what I want to do after high school, I’ve been actually kind of taking it more serious. … It's helped me really look into the military, into different colleges that I'm interested in.”
After high school, Juarez plans to serve in the military while earning his bachelor’s degree, possibly in biomedical engineering, though he’s still weighing his options.
After overcoming initial nerves and hesitation, students warmed up to the booths.
One popular booth, organized by Katie Rogers of Southern Junkiez downtown, attracted many students.
Similar to the boutique and salon, it featured a 'Dress for Success' theme, where students drew outfits for interviews on paper dolls of themselves.
'I used to be a teacher for a long time, so I really think that the career fair is really important for the kids to kind of see what their options are going forward, and we are just so excited to be a part of it and kind of help shape their futures and guide them in the right way,” Rogers said.
The theme was promoted by the Pilot Point Chamber’s Executive Director Evon Lusk.
She explained that students who wore their best business attire could win one of five $50 gift cards to Southern Junkiez, Notoriously Yours, Dennard's, Coyote’s Salon Spa and Boutique or the Pilot Point Feed Store.
The Chamber also provided a QR code directing students to available scholarships.
Coffman observed the impact of the event, noting several students filling out applications at booths throughout the gymnasium, and said she loved seeing the excitement from the participants.
“Our seniors this year who were juniors last year, going through it are like, ‘Yes, I got to talk to all these people,’” she said.
