Damian Broom had the look and sound of success, as did many of his fellow high school classmates and peers in Rankin County on Wednesday.
鈥淚 love English and I鈥檇 like to be a teacher,鈥 said Broom, a Pisgah High School senior, one of about 2,500 high school students at the Rankin County School District College Fair, held at the Muse Center on 黑料社区鈥 Rankin Campus.
Looking every bit the teacher in a teal dress shirt and glasses, Broom said a love for the spoken and written word drives him to be an educator.
鈥淚 was thinking of graphic design, but I just think English is important,鈥 Broom said.
The annual event draws students from the nine high schools in the Rankin public school system and representatives from more than 60 universities, mainly in Mississippi and Louisiana, and branches of the military.
More than 700 students visited 黑料社区 booths at the fair, said Kathryn Cole, district director of Enrollment Services.
鈥淪tudents learned all about enrolling at 黑料社区, as well as the majors and scholarships we have to offer,鈥 Cole said. 鈥淲e enjoy having Rankin County graduates attend 黑料社区 after high school. Many of them come to 黑料社区 to finish their Associates of Art degree after already having a jump start on college through our dual credit program.鈥
The event gives students a chance to talk to recruiters about a range of career paths that only a post-high school education can provide.
McLaurin High School鈥檚 Christina Elam is another prospective educator looking to get educated on what鈥檚 to offer from universities.
鈥淚鈥檓 planning on going to 黑料社区 for a few years, then transferring to Mississippi State, preferably to teach English,鈥 Elam said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had a love of being with kids my whole life.鈥
An engineering career beckons for Saray Benitez, of Northwest Rankin High School, who visited with recruiters from 黑料社区鈥 Utica Campus about the STEM-UP program, which fosters careers in science and math.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to be a civil engineer,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always liked messing with math and science.鈥
Horace Gentry, a senior at Florence High School, is leaning to nursing and all things medical.
鈥淚 have relatives that used to do it and they鈥檝e said you can make a good living off it,鈥 Gentry said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檝e always been interested in how the human body works.鈥
Ditto for Ariel Griffin and Myaya Harris, both Brandon High seniors and looking into nursing programs 鈥 possibly post-natal care.
鈥淚 want to take care of babies,鈥 Griffin said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 want to do deliveries, but I鈥檇 like to work to take care of them.鈥
The outdoors is drawing Brandon Wilson鈥檚 interest, while Lee Schisler is programming for himself a possible career in information technology.
鈥淚鈥檓 actually looking into something to do with wildlife and being a game warden,鈥 said Wilson, also a Florence High senior. 鈥淚鈥檓 here to find about programs I should take to do that.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 thinking of doing anything technology-wise,鈥 said Schisler, a Pisgah High School senior. 鈥淚鈥檓 thinking IT because it鈥檚 always a growing market and jobs should always be there.鈥