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Lasting impressions
By DONNA WINCHESTER © St. Petersburg Times, published January 3, 2001 ST. PETERSBURG -- In the past 12 weeks, Linda Traviesa's 88 freshmen crafted resumes and cover letters and discussed ethics in the workplace. On a recent Tuesday morning, the St. Petersburg High School students arrived at the media center for the acid test: the job interviews. They talked in low, nervous whispers, anticipating their 15-minute windows of opportunity. The interviews weren't for actual jobs, but they were the culmination of a series of Learning for Life workshops designed by Boy Scouts of America. Community members came to the school each week to teach the students job-hunting skills and conducted the mock interviews Dec. 12. Mrs. Traviesa incorporated the program into her curriculum in 1997 to prepare her students for the transition from high school to the working world. "It's an eye-opener for them," she said. "It lets them know what they need to do to get a good job." The experience also makes school more relevant. Once they know how important getting an education is, she said, their grades improve. David Adelman, Exploring executive with the West Central Florida Council of Boy Scouts of America, coordinated the program with Mrs. Traviesa. "The program works to help build a bridge for kids so they're not just concentrating on history, math and science for 12 years and then told, "Welcome to the real world,' " he said. Adelman said the program is geared toward students who are college-bound as well as those who will enter the work force directly from high school. It also teaches them how to secure summer jobs. Although the students learned job-seeking skills appropriate for all fields, they were given five imaginary interview choices: coordinator of a new teen checking account program for First Republic Bank of St. Petersburg; cultural diversity writer for the St. Petersburg Journal; fundraiser for the Marine Science Center; teen bailiff for Teen Court TV; preservationist for Old Time Movies; or one of several job opportunities with Publix. Solomon Padilla, 14, already knows he wants to be a psychiatrist, but he interviewed for the St. Petersburg Journal job because he likes to write. He said his father helped him prepare for the interview, but some of the questions surprised him. Before he goes on a real interview, he said, he'll learn as much as he can about the company. Marshall Price, 14, wants to join the Navy or Air Force and ultimately become a lawyer. He learned he'll need to enter the job market at entry level, so he was applying for a bagger position with Publix. He also learned it's okay to ask the interviewer questions, so he asked for more information about the job responsibilities. Katie Hagen, 15, applied for the bank job. Appearing grown up in a maroon suit, she sat with her hands folded in her lap, looked directly at the interviewer, and answered each question clearly. She seemed at ease as she explained her good qualities: patience, computer skills and an ability to get along with people. Sandy Ho, human resources administrator for Great Bay Distributors, was one of the seven volunteer interviewers. After interviewing Katie, she said she was clearly at the top of her class. "She took the interview seriously," she said. "She was well prepared for the questions and her resume looked terrific. It would be nice to think that she's representative of the class of 2004." Kevin Batdorf, a real estate broker with Batdorf and Associates, said Suzan Dominguez, 14, told him she wanted the Publix cake decorating job because she could draw and bake. Suzan was one of many students who got a call the day after her interview letting her know she'd been "hired." But as in real life, not all of the job applicants were successful. Some of the students who waited expectantly for the phone in their classroom to ring were disappointed. According to Mrs. Traviesa, rather than considering their performance a failure, the students learned that a rejection is just another part of the learning experience. And all the students wrote thank-you notes to their interviewers whether they were hired or not. "Even those who didn't get hired found something to thank the interviewer for," she said, adding that being courteous is just another part of the job-seeking process. Program highlights:Learning for Life career workshops are classroom-based programs designed to help students develop career goals and self-awareness. The program provides students with personalized materials for decisionmaking, value assessment, and time and money management. These materials will provide opportunities for the student to see the relevance and importance of staying in school. The workshops can be presented by the career counselor, or they can be enhanced by bringing in community-based presenters who bring the skills of their profession to the classroom. Learning for Life suggests immediate action, as well as future goals, by providing information on student jobs and academic choices. It creates and increases the student's awareness and knowledge necessary to become a productive member of society. It teaches the student how to make moral and ethical choices from the world of work. Program objectives:The Learning for Life high school program is intended to help the student develop: Self-awareness An ability to make ethical decisions Personal direction A knowledge of the importance of school Self-esteem Good character Career exploration Goals and objectives Skills and strengths Life skills enrichment Decisionmaking skills Interaction with role models The objectives will include:Assisting students in understanding the relationship between attitudes and behavior Making the connection between dropping out of school and its consequences Meeting concerned community leaders who present positive and ethical role modeling Helping schools help students connect the world of academics to the world of work Helping schools help students address school-to-work issues -- For more information on the Learning for Life program, contact David Adelman, 11046 Johnson Blvd., Seminole, FL 33772, (727) 391-3800.
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