Students learn about career choices

By Staff
Jonathan Willis FCT Staff Writer
Listening to medical professionals at the Russellville Hospital education building Tuesday morning, a group of county high school students got some first-hand information about possible career choices.
Approximately 40 students from each of the county's high schools took part in the Franklin County Junior Leadership "Medical and Community Provider Day," which gave them a glimpse of several useful tools as they prepare to leave high school.
Lisa Stockton, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and coordinator of the leadership program, said that the students learn several things throughout the year that they might not learn otherwise.
During Tuesday's activities, the students met with a variety of healthcare providers such as a physical therapist, nurse practitioner, clinical psychologist, clinical dietitian, registered nurse, an anesthesiologist and an internal medicine specialist.
The students then visited Russellville Hospital where they toured the facilities to see the day-to-day operations.
After visiting the facility, the students were shown how to book blood drives for their school or other organizations.
An example of that was Tuesday afternoon when the students received lessons on etiquette from former Russellville art and drama teacher Lela Ray.
They also got to see a potential real-life situation when Wood-Thompson Insurance showed a video portraying the tragic results of drinking and driving.
The class meets once a month for a planned activity outside of their schools.
Stockton will soon be looking to fill next year's class.
One of the key assets of the class is that it provides leadership skills that many colleges look at, Stockton said.