Students and community members meet with dozens of representatives from colleges, businesses, organizations and the military at a College and Career Fair held last month at Kent County High School.
WORTON — Nearly 245 students, teachers and community members gathered in Trojan Arena at Kent County High School on Thursday, April 20 for the second annual College and Career Fair.
Kent County Public Schools and Maryland Business Roundtable for Education (MBRT) partnered to offer fair.
Participants visited with 110 representatives from 75 organizations, ranging from colleges and branches of the military to local businesses and government offices.
Information was shared about academic programs, career opportunities, internships and more.
For some students, the event provided an opportunity to enhance the skills needed to be successful in their future careers.
“I love that students are becoming more engaged and active in this type of thing,” said Aurora Ramirez, a senior at Kent County High School. “People are realizing that this is important, and the interest is really coming together in the school.”
Students also volunteered to work the fair, assisting with setup, cleanup and hosting vendors.
Aundra Anderson, MBRT Next Generation Scholars program coordinator at the high school, helped organize the College and Career Fair.
Anderson said it was amazing that they doubled the size of the event in just its second year.
"I’m grateful to the teachers for bringing classes to the event," she said. "I’m grateful to Next Generation Scholars leaders for their help — it made such a difference with the event logistics and with interactions with the visiting organizations."
In addition to the college and business vendors, the nine Career and Technical Education Programs offered at Kent County High School also participated.
Broadcasting students at high school's radio station 90.5 FM WKHS livestreamed their program at the event.
For 30 years, MBRT has been connecting the business community with local schools through its Maryland Scholars Speakers Bureau and STEM Specialists in the Classroom programs. In 2017, MBRT added the Next Generation Scholars program, which provides funding to enhance education and career awareness.
Kent County High School students Cherish Johnson, left, and Tatiana Thomas volunteer at the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education's College and Career Fair Thursday, April 20.
Maryland Business Roundtable for Education and Next Generation Scholars program representatives, from left, Morgan Cox, Nona Carroll and Aundra Anderson greet visitors at the College and Career Fair held last month at Kent County High School.
Kent County High School students Molly Depp, center, and Madison Gagalski, right, meet with an AmeriCorps representative at the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education's College and Career Fair last month in Trojan Arena.