Students explore career options

Sisters students are getting an early taste of careers that could shape their futures.

Sisters High School has adopted a school-to-career program to help students prepare for college. Sisters High School principal, Bob Macauley, has put a competitive edge on what students need to reach their goals.

"You have to be on your game in today's economy to find your career. The more you do, the better job opportunities you will have," Macauley said. "Kids graduating from high school will have six careers. Some haven't even been invented yet."

Freshmen high school students are tested and evaluated to help create a four-year plan whether they plan to attend college or start jobs after graduation. Job-shadowing and internships are a key part of the program.

"Career Related Learning Experience provides students with real-world experience outside the classroom," said Janie Sampson, teacher of the HS 101 class aimed at preparing students for their post-high-school years, "It's a win-win and a wonderful partnership with local businesses.

"Students can choose to job-shadow or do a longer-term internship to explore what it is like working in a specific environment," said Sampson. "Many of the internships are medically related. Students get course credits for participating in the program."

Senior Peggy Barrett has been interning at Therapeutic Associates and at GreenRidge Physical Therapy.

"I would like to go into the medical field, physical therapy or not. I'm very interested in neurology," said Barrett.

"At Therapeutic Associates I have learned how, through your fascia touch, you can feel the other person's energy and how to release it. The hands-on is the main thing. I will be able to do ultrasounds."

One of the benefits of the program is that students learn what they do and don't like about a specific career.

Gary Keown, physical therapist, added, "One of the benefits is that it introduces students who could be physical therapists, let's them choose based on actual experience and exposure."

Keown also brought up a key concern: "There are many interested students and few class openings in physical therapy, so we don't want students to sign up and not continue."

St. Charles Medical Center in Bend is another program participant. Students get real-world experience including being able to scrub and go into surgery and observe. St. Charles has been doing health occupation programs since 2000.

"We have quite a few departments where students can intern. In radiology they can see nurses in action, in medical diagnostics they learn from a technician or a nurse. We think it is a really important step to help them determine not just that they're interested in medical careers, but we want more students to come back to our hospitals," said Jennifer Valentine, a director of the program at St. Charles.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department provides shadowing opportunities for students, allowing them to go on calls with EMTs. They also offer a scholarship program, which they started in the '90s.

"We pay for all their schooling at college level," said Captain Gary Lovegren. "We don't expect them to be hired here. We pay their tuition. It's a three-year program: two years of fire science and a one-year paramedic program. They work here and live here."

Students can obtain information about the fire science program through COCC.

Employer Gary Oldham, of MetLife's Mortgage Division, talked about having his daughter, Jenna, and one of her classmates, Abigail Colombo, as his interns.

"I think Jenna and Abigail are wired for this business," he said. "They have abilities working with people. So far, they have picked up things about this business more than people I've hired in the past."

There are a variety of perks to having an intern.

"It's my first time participating," Oldham said. "There's a time investment, but it pays off. Jenna did dental and physical therapy and she realized she didn't want medical."

Helping students determine their area of pursuit at college lessens the possibility of career changes at the college level.

Senior Chelsea Robirts is planning for a career as a special-education teacher.

"Last year as a junior I was at Sisters Elementary. I really enjoyed it," Robirts said. "Coming here I know I want to do special education rather than going into something I don't like. There are specialties in special education where you can focus on a special disability. I've been able to determine that I'm most interested in early intervention."