Seniors from Big Horn

SHERIDAN — Seniors from Big Horn and Tongue River high schools gathered in the atrium at the Holiday Inn Wednesday for a mock job fair that provided the opportunity to learn about professional communication and participate in mock job interviews, connecting classroom teaching to reality post-education.

This was the first year the two schools held a combined event.

The fair was the culminating event of the schools’ required life skills and personal finance courses, for which students prepared portfolios including cover letters and resumes.

The event’s main organizers were Pat Mischke and Kathy Hecker, who had retired from teaching in the district but were hired back with Title IV grant money to serve as job coaches.

“They came back and planned this whole big event because they wanted kids to see what it was like to be in a bigger setting,” Sheridan County School District 1 Curriculum Coordinator Sara McGinnis said.

During the morning portion, students met with representatives from community organizations for roundtable discussions on topics like interview questions, community connections, personal finance, health, and communications.

Brielle Prehemo had an informal interview for her job at the Tongue River Valley Community Center but was excited about the more formal practice and found the morning sessions informative.

“There were a couple of things that we didn’t go over in class and they cleared them up for us,” Premo said. “I’m a really nervous person, so they kind of made me feel a little bit better and calmed me down.”

Jordan Van Winkle found the professional communications discussion the most helpful part of the morning event. Van Winkle moved from Laramie this summer and said she had never had this kind of opportunity there. Tal Aksamit hopes to study linguistics and teach English as a second language and said the morning sessions all emphasized effective communication. Although he plans to go into academics and said it’s hard to find a linguist, Aksamit said it was a great opportunity for others to explore possible careers.

“It really brings a lot of community members, a lot of people that could be future resources for us, and that’s just very important,” Aksamit said. “Learning-wise, it’s just that practice, repetition, learning how to speak to people effectively in this sort of formal, informal setting, and just getting comfortable with this big part of our lives, which will become a big part in the next five years, really.”

At a table led by Center for a Vital Community Project Coordinator Julie Greer, students brainstormed ways to become involved in new communities as they leave for college.

“Connections are going to get you everywhere you go,” Greer said. “I mean genuine, authentic connections with people. In order to make those connections, you have to be willing to put yourself out there, and getting involved with your community is a great way to do that.”

Rep. Cyrus Western, R-Big Horn, encouraged students to vote and to embrace the possibility that they’ll change as they go through life.

“Would you like to be a product of your environment or your environment to be a product of you?” he asked the students.

During the afternoon session, students sat for three 20-minute interviews with representatives from community companies and organizations. The interviewers compiled feedback that students will receive when they return to classes.

Gabe Veilleux was happy to find that he was much less nervous during the interview than he had anticipated.

“When you have to do multiple job interviews it’s kind of nerve-wracking, and now it’s not as stressful,” Veilleux said.

As an aspiring film director, Veilleux said he could have benefited from a portfolio component.

BHHS counselor Tami Mavrakis said the most common piece of feedback from students was a desire to move the interview portion to the mornings to get nerves out of the way.

“I think it’s really great preparation,” Mavrakis said. “We hear all the time from parents that they want more practical hands-on skills as well as the high academics.”

Mavrakis said many of the Big Horn students will sit in front of 10-person panels when applying for Big Horn Education Fund scholarships in the spring. In the past, Mavrakis said that students have come out of the events with job offers.

“So this is a great experience for big-time stuff that counts,” Mavrakis said.