I Think Assemblies volunteer Jacob Guevara (left) of San Diego tries to pep up a crowd of more than 700 Imperial Valley students at the Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Programs' Junior High/Middle School Career Day 2012 on Jan. 12 in Imperial. (Courtesy of IVROP/Roman Flores) |
IMPERIAL — The small frame of a big-hearted young man filled the entire gym here at Imperial Valley College with his testimony.
“You guys don’t have to be held down and be boxed in by a wall,” San Diego resident Jaim Deines, a volunteer with I Think Assemblies who shared his personal story with being bullied in school for growing up handicapped and overcoming obstacles, said to the local students gathered at an assembly.
The assembly was part of the Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Programs’ Junior High/Middle School Career Day 2012. More than 700 junior high and middle school students from 15 Imperial County schools attended the annual one-day event Jan. 12 at IVC.
“We’ve done this every year because our Superintendent Mary Camacho really believes it’s very important for students to be exposed to different kinds of careers at a very early age,” Debbie Burquist, event co-coordinator and IVROP guidance tech II, said.
“Nowadays many of the high schools don’t have career days because of the budget cuts,” Rachel Lopez, event co-coordinator and school-to-career tech, said.
The middle school/junior high students said they enjoyed the large, motivational assembly from the ithink.org crew before breaking up into groups and going into classrooms with professionals from a variety of careers including law enforcement, photography, physical therapy, renewable energies, medical and health occupations.
“Some of the presenters have been coming (to this event) for years and we really appreciate it,” Lopez said.
The enthusiasm during the assembly’s activities and the chatter among students walking out of the career day workshops showed the students’ interest in the event.
“It was nice,” said 13-year-old Austin Ceja of Enrique Camarena Junior High School.
“(I liked) all the presentations,” he said.
By the numbers
15 — Local junior high and middle schools
669 — Students in attendance
23 — Presenters held career workshops
“You guys don’t have to be held down and be boxed in by a wall,” San Diego resident Jaim Deines, a volunteer with I Think Assemblies who shared his personal story with being bullied in school for growing up handicapped and overcoming obstacles, said to the local students gathered at an assembly.
The assembly was part of the Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Programs’ Junior High/Middle School Career Day 2012. More than 700 junior high and middle school students from 15 Imperial County schools attended the annual one-day event Jan. 12 at IVC.
“We’ve done this every year because our Superintendent Mary Camacho really believes it’s very important for students to be exposed to different kinds of careers at a very early age,” Debbie Burquist, event co-coordinator and IVROP guidance tech II, said.
“Nowadays many of the high schools don’t have career days because of the budget cuts,” Rachel Lopez, event co-coordinator and school-to-career tech, said.
The middle school/junior high students said they enjoyed the large, motivational assembly from the ithink.org crew before breaking up into groups and going into classrooms with professionals from a variety of careers including law enforcement, photography, physical therapy, renewable energies, medical and health occupations.
“Some of the presenters have been coming (to this event) for years and we really appreciate it,” Lopez said.
The enthusiasm during the assembly’s activities and the chatter among students walking out of the career day workshops showed the students’ interest in the event.
“It was nice,” said 13-year-old Austin Ceja of Enrique Camarena Junior High School.
“(I liked) all the presentations,” he said.
By the numbers
15 — Local junior high and middle schools
669 — Students in attendance
23 — Presenters held career workshops
