By the time seventh graders sat down for lunch, the buzz hadn’t faded. When Klondike Middle School Principal Deb Carter asked a student to name his favorite part of the morning’s career fair, he didn’t hesitate.

“I didn’t have just one favorite — how about my top five?”

That excitement summed up the first-ever career fair at Klondike Intermediate and Klondike Middle School, where more than 30 professionals spent the day helping students explore possible career paths.

Students rotated through stations representing a wide range of fields, from food sciences and architecture to banking and law enforcement. A K-9 officer with the Lafayette Police Department drew strong interest, along with FBI Builders and cybersecurity. Many stations included hands-on activities and demonstrations, giving students a real look at what these careers involve.

Bethany Martin, in-school program manager for Junior Achievement, says the collaboration between the schools, volunteers and local businesses helped make the event meaningful.

“Students were highly engaged, asked thoughtful questions, and showed genuine curiosity about the careers they explored,” Martin says. “When professionals speak directly with students, it brings careers to life in a personal and relatable way.”

Klondike Middle School Counselor Angela Bieghler says she hopes students walked away with a clearer sense of what they might like to do after high school.

“We were also glad to hear our keynote speaker and vendors stressing the importance of good grades, good attendance and hard work as the key to success in whatever path they choose.”

Klondike Elementary School Counselor Giner Clark says the feedback from students and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive: “Teachers loved the opportunity to connect learning to real-world opportunities. I'm so excited to do this again next year.”

Student experiences

Fourth grader Lila Weller-Rahatzad says her favorite station was Food Science.

“I really liked it because we did a trick where you plug your nose and eat something, and when you do that, the taste isn’t as strong,” Lila says. “Another reason is that they explained that there are different parts of food science. You could be in a classroom teaching, in a lab, or doing research. I personally would want to be in the lab making and fermenting things.”

Lila also shared what surprised her most. “I learned that most adults don’t end up doing the career they had planned for as a kid. Many people change their minds or find something else they like better, or that pays more.”

Fourth grader Lucy Shepard gravitated toward the military table because she has family members who are veterans.

“It was my favorite because they risk their lives to save us,” Lucy says. “I think it would be cool to be a military nurse.”

Lucy also visited the cosmetology and cybersecurity booths and says she would like to continue to learn more about nursing.

Fourth grader Javi Prado explored multiple stations, including Lafayette Media Group, FBI Builders and nursing.

“My favorite was FBI Buildings,” he says. “I feel like that’s one I could see myself doing in the future. I would like to build things.”

He asked about pay, necessary skills, and which parts of construction professionals enjoy most. “The rep had lots of tools to show us and explained what they are used for,” Javi says. “I was surprised at all the positions in construction. I think it would be cool to take a drawing or someone’s vision and bring it to life. I enjoy measuring. I would like to build homes and playgrounds — playgrounds for that wow factor, making something people will enjoy.”

Javi also visited the radio station. “I wouldn’t necessarily want to be behind the microphone, but help with programming,” he says. “The career fair was fun and a good learning experience. It’s nice to see lots of options. I never really thought about construction for a career until the fair.”