Students of Lake County were presented with a wide range of possibilities for their future on Thursday, October 10. Merrillville High School hosted a traditional College and Career Fair to help guide local students toward a path that they can enjoy and find success in.
Courtney Gabriel, school counselor at Merrillville High School, has monitored this event in previous years. She views this opportunity to be pivotal in helping students understand what career path is the best choice for each individual.
“We originally started with having a college fair and trade fair separated from one another to reach all of our kids,” Gabriel said. “This year, we decided to bring them together to help these students weigh out all of their options for the future in the same setting. We want to present all of the opportunities possible from the military, trade options, colleges, and more. For our students who are on the fence and unsure where they want to go, they have all that information here for them in one stop.”
Throughout the fieldhouse, students could travel between more than 40 booths offering something unique at each one. Gabriel appreciates the wide variety of organizations that came out to this event for the benefit of their students.
“This is an amazing time for us,” Gabriel said. “It shows us that not only do we want the best thing for our kids at the next level, but also that the universities, trades, military, and other businesses here do as well. They all come together and are very supportive of each other, which is a world of difference. If there's a kid talking to a university or college that might have a different interest, they can be redirected to which booth would make the most sense for them to check out. It’s more than us working directly with the community and these organizations, but it's also about them working together with one another.”
One business that was present at the career fair was McColly Real Estate. Jory Mattull, Crown Point managing broker, believes events like this are a necessity for students as they seek out what’s next for their future.
“I think it’s important for these students to understand that they have a lot of options after high school,” Mattull said. “They can go to college, join the army, or even get into the world of real estate. We want to present that option to our students in the area.”
Mattull enjoys this event each time because it’s a joyous feeling to see how interested the students are in their services.
“I look forward to this event each year because you see some new faces and several returning faces,” Mattull said. “It’s cool to see some of the students who have been here since freshman year want to hear more about real estate. I had a couple of them actually reach out to me afterward to see what the procedure would be to move forward with this after high school. We want to let the students know about how that process would go, along with what’s involved cost-wise wise to see if it makes the most sense for them.”
Mattull takes pride in being able to connect with the community in the schools, office, and outdoors. She hopes that the kids at this fair will develop a better understanding of their passion and motivate them to pursue their dreams.
Career paths are one of the most important decisions for everyone to figure out. Gabriel is optimistic that these students will walk away with more certainty about their next step.
“Our biggest dream from this event is to make sure our kids have an increased understanding and awareness of the opportunities that come after high school,” Gabriel said. “Life is just starting when they leave these four walls. We’re excited to see how they take this information and apply it. Everybody here is rooting for them to find their passion and be successful with it.”
For more information on Lake County School Corporation or McColly Real Estate, you can visit their websites.
