Students learn about careers by shadowing

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
A group of county high school students got a chance this week to see if they really want to go into the career field they think they do.
The Franklin County Junior Leadership program hosted its annual Job Shadow Day, which allowed 34 students from throughout the county to visit different businesses they are interested in.
"It's important that they have a direction in what they want to do after school, and this gives them an opportunity to see if it's something they really want to do," said Cheryl Bradford, Executive Director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. The program is made up of juniors from each county high school. Each student got to choose a particular field they are interested in pursuing after high school. The students were then matched with local businesses where they could learn what that profession would be like.
"We had students at Tiffin Motor Homes, Russellville Hospital, G &G Steel, just all over the county," Bradford said.
Some students got a first-hand glimpse at what their parents do on a daily basis.
"I've never seen what my dad does everyday so I thought it would be fun to shadow him," said Russellville 11th grader Tucker Hammock, who shadowed his father, Russellville Middle School principal Frankie Hammock.
"It's been interesting. He does a lot more that I thought."
Others spent the day trying to learn more about the career they think they want to seek.
Russellville junior Kara Coan, who wants to be a chef, spent the morning at Backstreet Deli.
"It's been fun," she said. "I've been making sandwiches and helping out. I've learned a lot."
Bradford said the goal of the project is to make sure students have as much information as possible to help them make their career choices.
"A lot of people in the community took time out of their schedules to help make this possible and to help these students," she said.