Step into the light with job shadow
When we look back to four years ago, the entering class of 2008 looked forward to obtaining new memories and experiences at Sutter Union High School. Currently, with four years under their belt, those same students of SUHS's graduating class of 2012 begin to see the end of another school year.
However, in addition to looking forward to summer, the seniors are also busy with colleges, portfolios, jobs and fighting "senioritis." But one of the most important things to look forward to would be graduation. For the seniors of Sutter High school, in order to make that happen, they have a certain requirement they must accomplish- job shadows.
Implemented only three years ago, job shadows are when a student gets to follow and "shadow" a worker in their career field for a total of eight hours, learning from first-hand experience on what it is like to walk in their shoes.
For Sutter High, job shadows replaced senior projects and Interviews as a new way of exploring and learning about new careers. When we asked SUHS senior Bianca DeRee whether she liked either senior projects or job shadows better, she said: "I like job shadows better, because I don't have to be interviewed by people — I interview them."
Some of our students even went the extra mile to take advantage of this valuable experience — literally! Lauren Zerkovich, a SUHS 12th-grader, chose to shadow a cinematographer in Reno, Nev. When we asked what she liked best, she said, "Probably just the fact that I got the opportunity. That was the biggest thing about it, because it was part of my career path."
In many ways, some of us seniors are trying to get as much done in high school as possible. After all, we have less than three months until graduation. That's why we seem to be at our busiest our senior year; we want to finish this race toward graduation with a bang!
One of the activities that our students are getting involved in is this year's spring musical, "Calamity Jane." SUHS 10th-grader Spencer Harrison, who will be the male lead, said, "I think it's great, because it gets all of us together and it's really fun." The show's run through will be for four nights: March 19, 20, 21 and 26. The show starts at 7 p.m. in the SUHS Music Room. Tickets are $6 for children 12 and younger and senior citizens, and $10 for general audiences.
We may have faced many changes and challenges this year, but with the tools provided to us through the years of learning, the tenacity of our teachers and the wishes of our school's faculty, we are given the chance to take great steps toward our future. The Job Shadow has allowed us to step out of the darkness and into the light of living one's dream job through another set of eyes, hands and feet.
We have yet to truly face the real world, but in our hearts, we know that we are ready. So bring it on, future! We hope you're ready, because the seniors of Sutter High are ready for you.
