Students at Showalter Middle School aren’t just participating in DiscoverU activities – they are taking the lead in getting the word out to their entire school about all the career and college exploration activities happening during the week.
Jessica Paulsen’s technology class, DigiTools, consists of 7th and 8th graders who are currently learning graphic design skills by helping create flyers about DiscoverU week activities and a photo backdrop for their school’s photobooth, which will be up during lunch time during DiscoverU week.
The students are utilizing publisher to create collages that highlight different careers, and then Paulsen is having them research the different educational pathways students could take to get into that career. It also allows them to learn how the skills they are learning in the classroom could translate to career.
“It’s our goal for our students to see that they can go into a career that they love,” Paulsen said. Instead of just participating in activities during the week, her students are gaining a deeper understanding of why they are talking about careers and not just college options.
Sebastian, an 8th grader, is passionate about the arts, and getting the chance to explore creative skills and learning that there are career opportunities that align with his artistic interests gets him excited about future possibilities.
“Doing this project is cool because we’re helping people in our school discover all the career and college options,” Sebastian said. He’s hoping to go to Cornish College of the Arts here in Seattle, or the International Academy of Film and Television in the Philippines, where he can pursue his passion for film and the arts.
Paulsen said her students take pride in seeing their work hanging in the hallways – it gives them a real-world application for the work they are doing in her classroom.
The theme of college and career exploration continues throughout the school year, as Showalter students participate in a variety of activities, said Jennifer Fichamba, College & Career Readiness Specialist at Showalter. This includes a family job and college fair, Showalter’s College Madness Month (which aligns with March Madness) and student field trips, to keep the kids engaged after the fun activities during DiscoverU week.